Sugar Free February: Raw Chocolate Fudge Truffles – Recipe
I hereby declare this month Sugar Free February.
When I say sugar-free, I mean anything with added processed sugar. So no more sugar in tea and coffee, no more cakes and cookies, not even any granola or sauces like ketchup (seriously, sugar is added to EVERYTHING these days).
Since this blog is called 'Tashcakes!' and not 'Tashmeals', you can at least begin to understand how much of a crazy personal challenge this is for me. I consume a stupid amount of sugar on a daily basis- but this ends here, at least for a month. In fact, it ended on the first Monday of Chinese New Year.
So what am I doing posting these sinful-looking truffles?
Well, I'm going processed sugar-free rather than Atkins sugar-free. I love fruit and veggies way too much to punish myself with a carb restricted diet (plus I'm pretty sure that, medically, carbs sort of keep us alive). And although these rich chocolate fudge truffles certainly don't taste like they're meant to be healthy, they're certainly a lot better than your regular chocolate treats.
The magic ingredient: dates.
Yes yes, there's a lot of sugar in dates. However, they're all natural- plus you get other benefits to boot when you eat them, like extra fibre and vitamins. Granted these are still a treat and can't be eaten with wild abandon, but at least you're giving your body some quality fuel rather than pure junk.
Besides, I need a fix. You don't realise how addicted to sugar you are until you give it up: by day three of nothing sweet whatsoever I felt like I could punch someone for no reason- and it usually takes a lot to put me in a bad mood. Or, in this case, three days without sugar.
Bring on the dates.
This recipe takes just a few minutes to make in a food processor and is vegan, raw (if you use raw nuts and cacao), gluten-free and dairy-free, so this recipe is also dedicated to my 'free-from' friends!
Ingredients:
Method:
1) In a food processor, chop up the nuts until they become a fine powder.
2) Add in your dates and cocoa powder, and blend well until the mixture starts too clump together (you may need to stop and start the processor a few times to scrape the sides down)
3) Pulse in the melted coconut oil, which binds the ingredients and gives a richer texture
4) Take large teaspoons of the mixture, squish the portions in one hand to compact the mixture and roll into balls
5) If you like roll your truffle balls into the extra cocoa powder for a posher look
6) Enjoy straight away, or firm up in the fridge for an hour or so.
Week one: completed. Three more to go...
When I say sugar-free, I mean anything with added processed sugar. So no more sugar in tea and coffee, no more cakes and cookies, not even any granola or sauces like ketchup (seriously, sugar is added to EVERYTHING these days).
Since this blog is called 'Tashcakes!' and not 'Tashmeals', you can at least begin to understand how much of a crazy personal challenge this is for me. I consume a stupid amount of sugar on a daily basis- but this ends here, at least for a month. In fact, it ended on the first Monday of Chinese New Year.
So what am I doing posting these sinful-looking truffles?
Well, I'm going processed sugar-free rather than Atkins sugar-free. I love fruit and veggies way too much to punish myself with a carb restricted diet (plus I'm pretty sure that, medically, carbs sort of keep us alive). And although these rich chocolate fudge truffles certainly don't taste like they're meant to be healthy, they're certainly a lot better than your regular chocolate treats.
The magic ingredient: dates.
Yes yes, there's a lot of sugar in dates. However, they're all natural- plus you get other benefits to boot when you eat them, like extra fibre and vitamins. Granted these are still a treat and can't be eaten with wild abandon, but at least you're giving your body some quality fuel rather than pure junk.
Besides, I need a fix. You don't realise how addicted to sugar you are until you give it up: by day three of nothing sweet whatsoever I felt like I could punch someone for no reason- and it usually takes a lot to put me in a bad mood. Or, in this case, three days without sugar.
Bring on the dates.
This recipe takes just a few minutes to make in a food processor and is vegan, raw (if you use raw nuts and cacao), gluten-free and dairy-free, so this recipe is also dedicated to my 'free-from' friends!
Ingredients:
-400g cashew nuts
-250g dates
-4tbsp cocoa powder
-3tbsp melted coconut oil
-Extra cocoa powder for rolling (optional)
1) In a food processor, chop up the nuts until they become a fine powder.
2) Add in your dates and cocoa powder, and blend well until the mixture starts too clump together (you may need to stop and start the processor a few times to scrape the sides down)
3) Pulse in the melted coconut oil, which binds the ingredients and gives a richer texture
4) Take large teaspoons of the mixture, squish the portions in one hand to compact the mixture and roll into balls
5) If you like roll your truffle balls into the extra cocoa powder for a posher look
6) Enjoy straight away, or firm up in the fridge for an hour or so.
Week one: completed. Three more to go...
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