Jaffa Bliss Balls
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
These little gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and nut-free bites of heaven are a great addition to the school lunchbox. The recipe was given to me by chef Louise Miller who works as a freelance chef in SE Queensland and northern NSW.
Ingredients
- pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) 1/2 cup
- sunflower seeds 1/2 cup
- shredded coconut 1/2 cup
- raisins 1/3 cup
- fresh pitted medjool date 1/3 cup, or use soft dried dates
- raw cacao 1/4 cup (or use good-quality cocoa powder)
- maple syrup 2 teaspoons
- pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- cinnamon 1/2 – 1 teaspoon
- orange zest 1 teaspoon or 2 drops orange oil
- mesquite powder 1 tablespoon (optional)
Makes 12 – 14 balls Place all ingredients in a food processor, and process for 1-2 minutes, until mixture combines and starts to stick together. You might need to add 1 – 2 tablespoons warm water (or freshly squeezed orange juice) to bring it together. Roll about 1 tablespoon of mixture into balls and place in little patty cake papers, or roll in desiccated coconut. Refrigerate until firm. You can keep these in the fridge for 2-3 days or they keep well in the freezer for a few months. Lou’s Notes: The mesquite powder is ground from mesquite seed pods, rich in protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. It has a slight caramel flavour and is great for balancing blood sugar levels. Mesquite powder can be hard to find, but they will still taste great without it. My note: roll the balls in desiccated coconut for a pretty effect. You could also add some chia seeds to the mix. For a special gift Louise suggests you layer the dry ingredients in a jar, decorate with a ribbon and attach a copy of the recipe, highlighting the additional ingredients they will need.