Blissfully Pure Goodness – Chocolate Cranberry Bliss Balls

By Catherine Noonan on April 15, 2015 in Food

This month’s recipe is for Chocolate Cranberry Bliss Balls, which are a very healthy and nourishing snack for young and old.

I’ve included numerous ingredient options, which should make finding the appropriate ingredients in your pantry and the supermarket a lot easier and far more cost effective.

Cranberries are the star ingredients here. This was an easy decision given that cranberries have many health benefits including their potential to help prevent the following:

Urinary tract infections – There is a substance contained in cranberries that is like a natural antibiotic, keeping the bladder free of bacterial build-up.

Heart disease – Photochemicals in cranberries help to keep artery walls and red blood cells from becoming sticky. They also help blood vessels relax and can reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

Cancer – The fibre and Vitamin C in cranberries helps prevent cancer, while the bioflavonoids help to rectify the damage of free radicals.

Other healthy ingredients include medjool dates, carob powder and the flesh from a fresh young coconut. I actually bought a drinking coconut at the Bondi Farmers Market recently and took it home after drinking it so that I could use the flesh – it’s recycling at its best. And yes, the flesh of open young coconuts does keep, so don’t throw them out; always take them home for later!

Ingredients (makes 20)
2 cups LSA meal, or almond meal
1/2 cup carob, cacao or cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla powder or essence/extract
Small pinch sea salt
Flesh of 1 young coconut
10 medjool dates, pitted
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup desiccated coconut, for rolling

Tools
Food processor
Mixing bowl
Small bowl

Method
1. In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients (the LSA/nut meal, carob powder, vanilla powder and sea salt), stirring to combine. If using vanilla essence/extract, wait to add with the balance of the ingredients.
2. Transfer the dry mixture to a food processor and add the young coconut flesh.
3. One at a time, add the pitted medjool dates, then the cranberries, and whiz to combine. It should form a slightly sticky dark dough.
4. Roll into approximately 20 small balls, and then roll in coconut.
5. To firm, freeze in an airtight container for at least two hours.

Storage
To keep firm and fresh, store in an airtight container in the freezer.