Oxygen Australia — January-February 2018

26 Jan/Feb 2018 oxygenmag.com.au

Fuel EAT SMART

CACAO, COCONUT, & CARDAMOM

BLISS BALLS

Ingredients

1 cup medjool dates, pitted

1½ cups blanched almond

meal

¼ cup Fermentanicals flax

meal

¼ cup cacao powder

2 tbsp Fermentanicals chia

seeds

1-2 tsp ground cardamom

2 tbsp coconut oil

½ cup desiccated coconut, for

coating

Method

1 Process the dates in a food

processor until they form a

paste. Add the almond meal,

flaxseed meal and cacao

powder, and process until

fine crumbs form. Add the

chia seeds, half the ground

cardamom and the coconut

oil, and process until well-

combined.

2 Taste the mixture and add

more cardamom if you’d

like. The mixture should stick

together when rolled into a

ball. If it’s too dry, add more

coconut oil. If it’s too wet, add

more flaxseed meal.

3 Roll mixture into tablespoon-

sized balls and roll in

desiccated coconut.

Refrigerate for at least 30

minutes before serving

H

aving a batch of healthy

snacks on hand is the best

way to prevent extra

snacking throughout the

day and help you stay committed to

your wellness goals. And if you’re

going to take the time to make a

batch of bliss balls, it’s important

to pack as many nutrients into each

one as possible.

I’ve designed these bliss balls to

maximise the micronutrient complex.

Some of my key ingredient selections include

coconut oil, as it has a wealth of health benefits and

supports gut health and vitamin absorption. I chose

sprouted versions of nutrient-dense chia and flax.

The sprouted version of these superfoods is easier

for the body to digest, has amplified nutrients, less

calories, and is more alkaline compared to non-

sprouted flax and chia. Sprouting not only removes

the seeds’ harsh outer coating, but also doubles the

antioxidants.

Finally, I chose the cardamom spice, which helps

the body to counteract digestive problems and

eliminate waste through the kidneys, and cacao as a

plant-based source of iron and magnesium. If you’re

sensitive to cacao (or caffeine in general), combining

it with cardamom is an Ayurvedic trick that can

counteract cacao’s overstimulating effects. Pretty

cool, huh?

Seven-minute maxi

protein bliss balls

By Jordanna Levin, The Inspired Table

These healthy and delicious protein

balls are designed to maximise

nutrients and minimise time in the

kitchen.