- Ali
It’s sometimes really difficult to be good and stay off the wheat and sugar at this time of year. Having a few healthy treats in the fridge or cupboard for when the munchies strike or to divert your focus when the Quality Street start to circulate will help.
Here’s a few of my favourites:
Ali’s Coconut Lemon Meltaway Snowballs
I love having tiny treats available for when the munchies strike and the bad stuff is passed around. These little balls are so easy to make and absolutely delicious. You simply put everything in a bowl, mix for a little, roll them into a balls and they are ready to eat in a matter of minutes. Children will love making them with you too which might just mean they reach for them instead of the chocolate – here’s wishing!
They are raw, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, refined sugar free, and even paleo-friendly but what I really love is that they are super delicious.
Ingredients:
Makes about 30 balls
1 cup almond flour
1 cup Arbonne Vanilla Protein Powder
⅓ cup coconut flour
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (if using honey pick one with a mild taste)
Juice of 1 lemon (approx 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
6-10 drops Lemon Essenial oil or good quality Lemon Essence
4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Desiccated coconut to roll them in
Method:
In a large bowl combine almond flour, Argonne protein powder, coconut flour, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl combine maple syrup (or honey), lemon juice, vanilla extract, lemon essential oil and lemon zest.
Using an electric mixer slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until fully combined. With the mixer on, gradually add coconut oil until it is blended in (it will look like crumbles but should be soft enough that if you squeeze it with your fingers it will stick together.)
Lightly oil or wet your hands, then scoop one dessertspoon of the coconut mixture and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in desiccated coconut as you go along to give the impression of snowballs!
Repeat to make 30 small balls. Place coconut balls onto a lined baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 mins to firm up.
Healthy Rocky Road
It’s hard to resist and stick to your no sugar motto when the chocolates are being passed around!
Make sure you have a batch of this healthy rocky road in the fridge and you’ll reach for the good stuff over the bad stuff any day. Who wants the sugar hangover that is about to hit anyway!
Ingredients:
60g of hazelnuts
60g of pistachios
100g of pecans
45g of raw cacao powder
50g of dried cranberries or sour cherries
120g of dates, stones removed. Medjool are my favourite but if you can only get the dried sort then just cover them in boiling water and soak for 30 minutes before you start.
200ml of coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp of almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
Method:
Toast the nuts in a pan for 4 minutes until golden, remove from pan so they don’t keep cooking, set aside and leave to cool.
Blend the dates, coconut oil, milk and cacao together in a blender. Mix with the cooled and toasted nuts and dried cranberries
Place in the fridge to set for at least two hours. Then slice into bars and serve.
Mini Chocolate Oranges
As a child I would always get a large fresh orange in my Christmas stocking. You know the ones with the baby orange inside which you could peel away and eat on its own. I still pop one in Miss H’s stocking but I know she really prefers a Terry’s Chocolate Orange if I’m honest!
Here’s my healthy take on the chocolate orange so if the chocolate munchies really do strike, make sure you have a batch of these little goodies in the fridge. They really are to die for.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups almond flour
1 cup Arbonne Chocolate Protein Powder
½ cup coconut flour
Pinch of seasalt
4 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (if using honey, pick one with a milder taste)
Grated rind of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
1 to 2 teaspoons orange essence (check for flavour)
2 tablespoons raw cacao
6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Optional - flax seeds to roll them in.
Method:
In a large bowl combine almond flour, Arbonne protein powder, coconut flour, cacao powder and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl combine maple syrup (or honey), orange juice, orange extract, and orange zest.
Using an electric mixer slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until fully combined.
With the mixer on, gradually add coconut oil until it is blended in (it will look like crumbles but should be soft enough that if you squeeze it with your fingers it will stick together.)
Lightly oil or wet your hands, then scoop one dessertspoon of mixture and roll it into a ball.
Repeat to make 30 small balls. Place balls onto a lined baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 mins to firm up.
Not only will these treats help satisfy your sweet tooth, but they’ll help you make healthier choices this Christmas – and trust me, you’ll feel so much better because of it!
