BURLINGTON, Vt. -
With Valentine's Day approaching you might be thinking about cooking up something sweet for your loved ones. In this edition of our series "In Love With The :30," we're going to tell you how to get that sweet fix without over indulging.
Heath and wellness coach Marie Frohlich showed us how this is possible.
Marie's Valentine Bon Bons
You will need:
1 cup tahini
½ cup almond or other nut butters
¼ cup honey (more or less to taste)
Can substitute other powders for these:
I use a touch of cinnamon, cayenne and ginger
1 T Ashwaghanda root powder
1 T Eleuthero powder
1 T Maca powder
½ T licorice root powder*
¼ cup unsweetened Cocoa powder
2 oz unsweetened shredded coconut
1. Mix tahini, nut butter and honey until smooth. Combine enough of the herbal powders to tahini mix to create a soft dough like texture, you may have more powder left over for another batch, don't put it all in at once as it might turn out too dry.
2. Roll the dough into small balls and toss in a bed of shredded coconut to cover them. You can also spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and cut into squares.
3. Store the Bon Bons in baking tins in a cool place. They will last for weeks.
4. Don't worry about not having these powders on hand. You can still enjoy their benefits by using just the cinnamon, cocoa and licorice root powder with a bit of cayenne and ginger, all available at your local food coop. Other powders can be found online at MountainRoseherbs.com, or try Purple Shutter Herbs in Winooski or Green Mountain Medicinals in Montpelier.
Benefits of Bon Bon's: reduced sugar intake! A sweet taste never the less but one full of minerals and protein that releases sugar (honey) much slower into the blood system. Herbal adaptogenic powders (ashwaghanda, Maca and Eluethero) have been known to help relieve stress by supporting the adrenal glands as well as licorice root*, which is a wonderful alternative sweetener. Unsweetened Cocoa powder has anti-oxidants and Cinnamon, Cayenne and ginger are anti-inflammatory and enhance circulation.
Based on a recipe by Rosemary Gladstar
*moderate use of this recommended for those with high blood pressure
