Want to have a few Christmas-with-a-twist treats? These have those seasonal flavours. Try them – they’re lovely as well as being super-easy to make. Thankyou to Parry Marsh, whose recipe this is. This makes around 22 pieces.
1 ½ cups (or 190 g) of mixed nuts – chestnuts, pecans & Brazil nuts go well in this
1 tbsp goji berries (*optional)
Grated rind of half a lemon and half an orange
1 scant tsp of mixed spice*
1 tbs raw agave syrup (runny honey will do too)
⅔ cup (or 95 g) mixed vine fruit or raisins
4–6 fresh (or Medjool) pitted dates
- In a food processor, process the nuts, goji berries, grated rind, and spice, until the nuts are all broken down into small pieces.
- Add the agave syrup and vine fruit/raisins, and process again until the fruit is mostly broken down.
- Do a taste test, and add more agave if necessary, but remember that the dates will be adding sweetness too and Christmas pudding isn’t meant to be too sweet.
- Then, with the food processor running, drop in the dates one at a time, and let each one get processed into the mix. Keep adding them until the mix starts to stick together.
- Once it’s nice and sticky, remove from the food processor, then break off portions of the dough and roll them in your hands to form balls – they should be about the size of a chocolate truffle or a small walnut shell.
- Eat at once, or chill for a while to firm up. You can even pop them in the freezer and eat them straight from there.
- If you want to make these a little chewier, try forming the balls around a couple of raisins, or even pieces of candied peel or crystallized ginger.
*Goji berries are optional but give it a slightly richer flavor and a few chewy bits since they never blend in totally.
**If you don’t have any mixed spice, you can easily make your own: use equal amounts of ground cinnamon, allspice, clove, nutmeg, and ginger.
Why this is better for you:
These yummy treats are packed with protein and healthy fats which stop the natural sugars in the vine fruits and agave from messing with your metabolism. If you’ve been working with me you know all about balancing your blood sugar and how it turbo-charges immunity, digestive and even mental health and energy production. If you’re curious as to how too balance your blood sugar check out the courses under “work with me tab” on the home page. Or send an enquiry about one-to-one coaching towards a healthier, happier you. Spices are incredibly anti-inflammatory. Dried grapes (sultanas, raisins, currants etc) feed certain species of healthy bacteria in your gut. Enough healthy bacteria are needed for every function in your body, from gut and digestive health to a balanced immune system and stable mood.