No Bake Gingerbread Truffles + Week Two Raw Food Challenge

I’m so excited to share these gingerbread truffles with you! I have to say they came out ah-mazing, if I do say so myself. 🙂 I’ve been working in the kitchen tweaking this recipe over and over again until they came out just right.  I even brought them into work with me to have all my co-workers try them and I got the nurses stamp of approval! So, now I know they are ready to share with you.

I love ginger,  it is such an aromatic, warming spice I especially love it in the winter.  Ginger is such a powerful medicinal herb I like to add it into as many recipes as I can.  Having some of the most potent anti-inflammatory properties known, ginger is important for ones like me who have fibromyalgia or chronic pain.  And while I rarely suffer from painful flare-ups, I want to keep it that way!

Back to the gingerbread.  These truffles are moist and full of flavor.  Biting into one took me back to when I was younger and I would eat gingerbread cookies dunking them in tea.  Oh how I loved that! These really have that aromatic kick of ginger, with the robust flavors of  molasses, cloves and cinnamon.  It makes for a wonderful treat.

I have only recently discovered coconut sugar by Navitas Naturals.  I saw it at WholeFoods and decided to give it a try.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but what a pleasant surprise! It’s the perfect “sugar” to use when you want that sweet granule texture, which is exactly what I wanted to coat the truffles with.  And it really tops this recipe off perfectly! It gives these truffles a nice little extra texture as you’re biting into them.

These make for a sure success at a party.  You can lay each one in a fun cupcake wrapper, or put toothpicks out so you can just pop them in your mouth.  They are so easy to pack in a lunch and they’re perfect for kids.  You can double the recipe and freeze them, and just pull them out when needed.  Stored in the fridge they can last a week.  But they are so good I have never had them last that long! 🙂

Now to catch you up with me.  As you know I’m doing a fourteen day 100 % raw food challenge to start the year off right, this is the second week and there are only three days left.  It’s been going really well, the only time I felt like giving into temptation was when I went to Whole Foods starving.

It’s dangerous to go to the grocery store when you’re starving! I passed by the open buffet of cooked foods and got a whiff, I almost did a double take just to drool a little but decided not to torture myself.  Thankfully, right across the aisle was the raw food section so I went straight over there and treated myself to some kale chips.  That put me back on track immediately.  LOVE kale chips! Besides when I get a quick craving like that, I try to fast forward in my head to after having eaten the food and imagine how I will feel. I’ve come to realize that I never feel good afterwards and it is never worth the cheat.

So back to the gingerbread recipe…here it is:

Makes 20 bite size balls

Recipe:

7-8 medjool dates, pitted

1 cup pecans, soaked for at least 2 hours drained and rinsed (make sure they are drained well and pat dry with paper towel to remove excess water)

1 1/2 tsp ginger, grated (add more or less to taste)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1 Tbsp molasses

1 shake of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1) In a food processor add in all the above ingredients, except coconut sugar,  and pulse blend until it becomes like a ball of dough.

2) Scoop out into a mixing bowl and form little balls (bite-size) .

3) Dip into coconut sugar and  coat evenly each truffle.

With just three easy steps you have a fun, delicious and healthy raw vegan dessert!