Date-free bliss balls

Bliss balls are the perfect bite-sized snack that can be a powerhouse of nutrition and is a great back up to have around for when hunger strikes! So many recipes out there contain dates, which people with fructose malabsorption avoid. I was determined to make a recipe img_3308without dates, and it was a surprising success!! I have made three massive batches (yes, I made double amounts each time!) in the past couple of weeks, and there are not many left!

To supplement the dates, I used dried pineapple (the gelatinous sort). Some people who are sensitive to FODMAPS may still cringe at this, so please be aware there are still options for you! You could replace it with something like rice syrup, mashed bananas, nut butters, or maple syrup, depending on your tolerance levels or preferences. You could also increase the amount of tahini in the recipe – it truly is a forgiving recipe that allows you to play around with amounts and create something that suites you. IMG_3680Ingredients:

1 cup dried pineapple, soaked in water or coconut water for an hour or until soft
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup hazelnut meal
1/2 cup shredded coconut, plus extra for rolling if desired
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 small pinch of salt
1/4- 1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3- 1/2 cup tahini
1-2 tablespoons chia seeds, soaked in water for at least 15 minutes

Method

  1. Drain water from pineapple
  2. Add all ingredients to a food processor
  3. Blend until well combined and smooth
    *If the texture is too wet, or too dry, (or too sweet or not sweet enough!), adjust accordingly, until you have a moist, sticky but firm (and tasty!) mix
  4. Make the mixture into balls of desired size (if you are in a hot climate, you may find it easier to leave the mixture in the fridge for about 30 mins to make it firmer for rolling
  5. Roll the balls into shredded coconut
  6. Place into an airtight container, and store in the fridge or freezerimg_3768