Bliss Balls

Remember when I used to keep a blog?

Because to write an explanation for the absence would be too difficult and sad, I'll instead write out this recipe for an easy, sweet snack.

There are a millions versions of bliss balls, but this one is inspired by those sold here in Nelson, BC (where I still live!), because they are the greatest. They are rich and sweet, and the best part is the crunch from the nuts and seeds.

I'm sure it won't be another year until my next appearance, but summer is here, the outdoors are calling, and for the first time in years and years, I live in a house with a yard in which to lay, and a garden in which to work. Yippee!

Until next time!

Bliss Balls
(makes about 12 balls at 35 grams each)

Ingredients:

• 150 grams raw almond butter
• 65 grams tahini
• 60 grams honey
• 60 grams shredded coconut
• 60 grams raw sunflower seeds
• 50 grams raisins
• 25 grams sliced almonds
• 1 tsp spirulina (or more)
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Instruction:

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine almond butter, tahini, honey, spirulina and salt.

2. Mix in remaining ingredients.

3. Portion, roll and store in refrigerator.

Notes:

• The dough consistency is soft. If you find it too soft, add more shredded coconut, or even coconut flour. Try a tablespoon at a time until you get a consistency you like.
• I sometimes substitute some or all of the almond butter for peanut butter, without too much of a flavour difference.
• Pretty much everything else is also substitutable—pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds, chlorella for spirulina, chocolate for raisins...

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I leave for Europe today. I will be gone for 6 weeks, hopefully Couchsurfing for most of it (to anyone who happens across this blog and lives in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Nice or Marseille...if you see me walking down the street, I'll exchange baked goods for a couch).

Cocoa & Almond No-Bake Granola Bars

I'm back to the granola bars...

This time it's my mom I'm trying to please. She's been on her own quest for the perfect granola bar—crunchy and chewy, but low in fat. After at least 4 different recipes, she still couldn't find one she liked, so I thought I'd try my hand at the old granola bar game...again.

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I've been intrigued by and wanting to make black bean brownies for a long time. I've seen plenty of variations on the recipe, but finally decided to try 101Cookbook's Amazing Black Bean Brownies. I stuck pretty closely to the recipe, since I was unsure of how they would turn out. They ended up being delicious...amazing, you might even say. I absolutely love them...I don't think I can explain how much I love them, actually, and it's difficult to control my enthusiasm as I write this.

Dad vs. the Granola Bar (Round Three)

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This post has been a long time coming. This is the third attempt in the granola bar/breakfast experiment and I made these shortly after the first two granola bar attempts... I didn't just give up on my father after he poo-pooed the first two. This is the recipe my dad originally chose (from the list of recipe options I gave him), but I had to wait for my bananas to ripen. That is why I experimented with the other two first.

Attempts to Feed my Father with Granola Bars

Now that I am home for the holidays, I have made it my mission to get my father to eat breakfast. To avoid the excuse of limited time in the morning, I decided granola bars would be best. I made these last week.