Okay, yes. I am posting two updates within half an hour of one another. That’s annoying. I won’t do it again. Maybe.
But the point of this post is to share my favorite recipe of all time with you. Little back story here. The first time I heard of the vegan lifestyle, I was about 11 years old. I was entranced by the idea that you could actually eat amazing, tasty food without harming anyone. I was also beyond appalled when I made the connection that the meat I was eating came directly from animals that had been killed. I know it sounds stupid, but I had never thought of it that way.
I continued to eat animal products for the next three years. Lunch meat and egg whites were a low calorie option that kept both my parents and I satisfied. They were content thinking that I was eating something substantial, and I was content with the fact that a huge looking meal only had 30-90 calories in it. I understood that eating animal products was supporting an industry that was messed up to say the least, but my phobia of calories (and the ever ominous fat that lurked behind every bite in my mind), along with the desire to at least appear normal, kept me from becoming a vegan. I went vegetarian when I was 15, and I am now transitioning into a raw vegan lifestyle. The raw food diet absolutely thrilled me the first time I heard of it. You can eat 3500 + calories a day? You can eat all the fruit (my drug of choice) you want and not be afraid of the sugar? The carbs? You can do this and exercise very little and drop weight and gain muscle in the process? Yes!!!!
Anyway, long story. I lied in my first post. I’m a bit of a rambler. This recipe is something I’ve been making for years. It’s my absolute favorite dessert and a go to fix for my sweet tooth. At about 60 calories a pop, these Chocolate-Almond-Date balls are the sugar addicts dream.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/4 – 1/3 chopped almonds (depending on how crunchy you like them)
1/8 cup raw agave
1 tbsp cocoa powder + 1/2 tbsp for dusting
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt (optional, brings out flavor)
Add all ingredients into blender and pulse until smooth. Roll into eight balls and dust with cocoa powder.
The best things in life are simple and sweet 🙂