Nut Balls

NUT BALLS!!!!!!

Oh my goodness I seriously laugh every time I say that. I like to keep asking my husband if he wants to try my nut balls. I should grow up but sometimes its just too fun being me.

So seriously, I have had some major sweets cravings lately. I don't know where they came from. We have been eating so good now for 11 months and cut out candies and most sugar and I swear I want to tear into a bag of Hershey's kisses or miniature candy bars...or chocolate ice cream...or some chocolate chip cookies...or fudge...you get what I'm saying. Anyway just because I want it doesn't mean I want to ruin all my hard work or give into my cravings so I went in search of a treat that would feel like a cheat but not REALLY be that bad. and.... I found it! HUZZAH! Nut balls!

Here is what you need:

2 1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup nut butter (almond or peanut-I used homemade peanut butter)

1/2 cup cacoa or cocoa powder (cacoa would be better but this is what I had on hand)

2 handfuls (or so-don't you like my exact measurements!!) unsweetened coconut

1 stick of butter (8 TBS)

4 Tablespoons coconut oil (melted)

ground cinnamon to taste (~1 TBS)

flaxseed meal (optional) ~2 TBS

Put the almonds in your food processor or blender and grind them up 

Pour the ground almonds into a mixing bowls and add the nut butter, cocoa powder

and unsweetened coconut stirring it all together.

Once the peanut butter has been well incorporated add in the softened butter and the coconut oil and mix until the butter breaks down and is evenly distributed through the chocolate mixture.

Add in the cinnamon and flaxseed meal if desired and mix it through.

 

It should look a little something like this:

Form this into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil and refrigerate

for about an hour and then enjoy!

(I had a picture of this I swear...but now I can't find it and we ate all the balls...sorry!)

You can wrap them or store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

If you don't want the messy hands that forming balls can mean I also tried to line a 

baking dish with foil and spread it into bars and cool then cut apart. 

It worked just as well but I did have to refrigerate it a touch longer and then you lose the funny bit about eating the nut balls, but hey- the taste is really what's important here right?!?!

Anyway, the kids liked them and they met my need for a chocolate fix although they are NOT sweet

so just be prepared for that if you are just starting to cut out sugar in your house they may be a bit of a surprise to your taste buds but try them- it is such a great thing to try new things and 

help teach out taste buds that different things can be yummy too!

So go grab some nuts so you can eat some balls.

HAHAHAHAHA...sorry!!

~Eat Well,

Be well

Patty