Since making my New Year’s Resolution to eat healthier this year, I have significantly cut down on snacking, especially on fried foods or foods that are calorie dense but not necessarily nutrient dense. But I do love snacking and therein lies the problem of how will I curb my cravings for the sweets and carbs that I so love. In this quest to eat healthier, I decided I could not forgo my beloved snacks and therefore started a mission to create my own healthier ones.
Recently I posted the Almond Butter Breakfast Bars recipe to help me get a good start to my day and I’ve realized that I love incorporating almond flour into my recipes. These Almond Cacao Energy Bites are a perfect balance of cacao powder, almond flour, and dates. The cacao powder provides the perfect balance of chocolate and nutrition as it’s filled with antioxidants and magnesium!
The almond flour of course provides protein and a nutty flavor that balances out the sweetness in these bites. The dates also add quite a bit of sweetness to these bites and are known to have a high sugar content but are fairly low on the glycemic index and have a high fiber content. These energy bites are the perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth and stay healthy. Try them out for yourself and you will love them just as much as I do.
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy these delicious Almond Cacao Energy Bites!
Diwali has always been a special festival growing up in my family… in fact for most Indian families. It’s the Festival of Lights, where we celebrate faith and hope and wish that everyone has a bright future, happiness and prosperity in their lives.
Everywhere you look, Diwali takes over with lights and colors. Rangoli designs are a prominent component of Diwali, with the idea that it brings strength, good luck and genorosity. Keeping in mind that very foundation of colors and brightness, I decided to bring the spirit of rangoli to my mithai (sweets) for Diwali this year.
Coconut ladoos are very popular in Indian and the best part is, they are very easy to make. The basis of each ladoo was kept the same with the main ingredients being coconut, almond flour/ground almonds, and condensed milk. The ratios vary based on the flavor and additions of the ladoo.
Here are the flavors I decided to go with:
Mango (seriously, how could I not include this flavor?!)
Lavender (because it’s a new obsession and the flavor and colors are so amazing!)
Rose (the colors, the fragrance, and the taste are so pretty, it makes me feel like a princess when I’m eating this!)
Mojito (…..yep. No alcohol, but that hint of lime and mint….YUM!)
Coconut Almond (the original cannot be overlooked!)
Some tips to make it easier for you when you make this:
Use a non-stick skillet to make these. It prevents the mixture from sticking and makes the process that much easier.
Make them vegan! Use vegan condensed milk and coconut oil instead of ghee to roll the balls.
You can use frozen grated coconut. Just leave it out for a little bit to thaw and bring to room temperature.
If you don’t want to use or don’t have almond flour available, substitute with the same amount of almonds and grind them up into a flour. It’s an extra step but easy and a perfect swap.
When buying almond flour, make sure you buy the almond flour and NOT the blend. I almost did that. The blend has a mixture of rice and other ingredients that would change the taste of this dessert.
If you end up making any of these delicious ladoos, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram at @bitofspice146. I would love to see your creations!
Heat a non stick skillet on medium flame and add the condensed milk. Cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes until it thins out. Be careful it doesn't burn.
Add in the coconut and mix to combine well. Cook for an addition 1-2 minutes and you will see the water separating.
At this point, add in the almond flour and mix. Keep stirring until it starts to form into a dough.
Remove from heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.
When it is still warm but not too hot to handle, grease your palms with ghee and roll into truffle balls.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let them set.
For the Lavender Ladoos:
Heat a non stick skillet on medium flame and add the condensed milk. Cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes until it thins out. Be careful it doesn't burn.
Add in the lavender powder and purple food color.
Add in the coconut and mix to combine well. Cook for an addition 1-2 minutes and you will see the water separating.
At this point, add in the almond flour and mix. Keep stirring until it starts to form into a dough.
Remove from heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.
When it is still warm but not too hot to handle, grease your palms with ghee and roll into truffle balls.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let them set.
For the Mojito Ladoos:
Heat a non stick skillet on medium flame and add the condensed milk. Cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes until it thins out. Be careful it doesn't burn.
Add in the mint powder and lime sugar and mix well. Also add in the green food color if using
Add in the coconut and mix to combine well. Cook for an addition 1-2 minutes and you will see the water separating.
At this point, add in the almond flour and mix. Keep stirring until it starts to form into a dough.
Remove from heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.
When it is still warm but not too hot to handle, grease your palms with ghee and roll into truffle balls.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let them set.
For the Mango Ladoos:
Heat a non stick skillet on medium flame and add the condensed milk. Cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes until it thins out. Be careful it doesn't burn.
Add in the mango pulp and mix.
Add in the coconut and mix to combine well. Cook for an addition 1-2 minutes and you will see the water separating.
At this point, add in the almond flour and mix. Keep stirring until it starts to form into a dough.
Remove from heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.
When it is still warm but not too hot to handle, grease your palms with ghee and roll into truffle balls.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let them set.
For the Rose Ladoos:
Heat a non stick skillet on medium flame and add the condensed milk. Cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes until it thins out. Be careful it doesn't burn.
Add in the Rooh Afza and Rose water and mix well.
Add in the coconut and mix to combine well. Cook for an addition 1-2 minutes and you will see the water separating.
At this point, add in the almond flour and mix. Keep stirring until it starts to form into a dough.
Remove from heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.
When it is still warm but not too hot to handle, grease your palms with ghee and roll into truffle balls.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let them set.
Notes
*If using frozen shredded coconut, make sure to thaw it out to room temp to avoid extra moisture in the final product. *If you don't have almond flour, substitute with almonds 1:1 ratio and grind into flour *To make this VEGAN, use vegan condensed milk and switch the ghee and use coconut oil
I love a traditional banana bread but I also love changing out the fruits and making different types of loaves. This Spiced Pear Loaf gives me a peek into the fall with its hints of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger; the sweet pear chunks added in… oh so delicious!
This bread uses milk and oil in addition to the pear chunks to give it just the right amount of moisture. Use a 1:1 ratio of whole wheat flour and oats for a healthy balance of carbs, and just enough brown sugar to combine with the warm spices to bring fall home any time of the year!
Use this loaf for a snack during recess, packed in your lunchboxes, or even as a sweet treat post meals. So delicious and scrumptious, you have to try it out! From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this delicious treat!
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this delicious treat!
