Cacao, Cranberry and Orange Bliss Balls

Years ago, before we had kids and still when my eldest was little we used to buy tons of dried fruit as a 'healthy' snack. Not realising that dried fruit is such a concentrated source of sugar and that most commercial dried fruit contains a preservative called sulphur dioxide which is linked to asthma and respiratory distress, and if you have a sulphite allergy, can actually be fatal.

Jeez, what a downer hey?

I was totally shocked when I first heard about this and I remember going through the pantry to check each and every packet of dried fruit we had. And sure enough, it was on every. single. label.

Looking back it now makes sense that I would feel a tightness in my chest and start to cough every time I ate dried apricots. But at the time I never really made the connection because I knew I wasn't allergic to apricots.

These days we choose not to eat much dried fruit.And when we do we are treating it as a source of sweetness for recipes rather than 'this is healthy so let's eat the whole packet.'

Generally I make bliss balls without any added fruit, preferring to use rice malt syrup as a fructose free sweetener.

But I've had a packet of organic dried cranberries sitting in the pantry since Christmas and it was high time to use them up, so I came up with these bliss balls. The cranberries are still dried with sugar but it is all organic and they don't contain any preservatives.

Anyone who has tasted these bliss balls has immediately asked for the recipe, so that's a sure sign of a winner!

Cacao, Cranberry and Wild Orange Bliss Balls

220g raw almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 dried dates
4 tbs coconut oil
1 heaped tbs cacao powder
pinch salt
5 drops Wild Orange essential oil
desiccated coconut for rolling

Place all ingredients into a food processor or high powered blender and blitz until the mixture sticks together (TMX about 10 secs / SP 8).

Shape into balls and roll in desiccated coconut.

Makes approximately 12.

Do you make bliss balls? What's your favourite recipe? Let me know below!

Susan

Wild Orange Bliss Balls

So if you haven't already noticed, today is Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day!

Do you do Valentine's Day?

We don't but it is definitely a good excuse to make something chocolatey for dessert!

I've actually been making these little bliss ball beauties for my doTERRA classes that I've been running at home and for friends.

They have been such a hit that I now make them for more special occasions too.

I've been loving experimenting with using different essential oils in cooking and baking.

Plus it's so handy to be able to add a drop or 2 of lemongrass, ginger or fennel, for example, to give a big boost of flavour when you might not have those ingredients handy.

The intense flavours of wild orange, lemon and peppermint oils pair so beautifully with raw desserts like slices and bliss balls.

I've made lemon balls and a chocolate-peppermint slice recently that were just divine so keep an eye out for those recipes soon.

Wild Orange Bliss Balls

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup dates
1/2 ts vanilla paste
Pinch salt
4 drops Wild Orange Oil (I use and recommend doTERRA essential oils, click here to find out why)
30g dark chocolate
Zest of 1/2 orange

Place the dates and cashews into the Thermomix or high-powered blend and process to a fine crumb. Add the vanilla, salt and orange oil and process until the mixture clumps together.

Roll spoonfuls into balls and place in the fridge.

Melt the chocolate ( I do it in a small glass bowl over a small pot of hot water simmering on the stove). Drizzle over the tops of each bliss ball and top with a sprinkle of fresh orange zest.

Makes approximately 10

Have you used essential oils in cooking before? Do you have a favourite oil or recipe you would like to share? Let me know below!

Susan