Pack these guys for a snack, or keep them handy for an after-dinner treat! These babies are super-satisfying, gluten-free and vegan, and they pack a nutritious punch. Enjoy the crunchy, chewy, melty goodness of these, while fully aware that you are doing something amazing for your body.
Makes: 50 bites
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe adapted from an original by Attila Hildmann
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup amaranth
1/4 cup rice syrup (you can use coconut or agave nectar instead)
2 T maple syrup
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp coconut oil
Directions:
1. Process the cashews in a food processor until a thick paste forms.
2. Pop the amaranth in a hot dry pan, 1/2 tsp at a time.
3. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
4. Now is the time to get creative: add a dash of ginger, some sesame, coconut flakes or raw cacao, if you feel like it.
5. Roll the ‘dough’ into cherry-sized balls.
6. Put the balls into the freezer to harden for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Geekery
A serving of 3 of these will provide a whopping 44 percent of your daily recommended intake of Zinc, a mineral antioxidant that’s critical for growth, repair and wound healing. Zinc also plays a key role in both the immune and digestive systems. Beyond that, there are more than 300 enzymes in the human body that require Zinc in order to function properly. Your vision, taste and smell, skin, hair and bone health, blood sugar and hormone control, metabolism and immune status may all be affected by whether or not you are getting enough of this superstar mineral. Since your body doesn’t have any sort of storage system for Zinc, you have to get it from your diet (or supplements, if critical) every day. Excellent, absorbable sources are high-quality sustainable meats, as well as wild-caught shellfish. A single oyster, or two, may fulfill your daily requirements. Nuts and seeds are also rich in Zinc: In the recipe above, the cashews pack the Zinc, but sesame and pumpkin seeds are also great options. If you are on a predominantly plant-based diet, look to mushrooms, greens, asparagus and quinoa as well. For now, though, just enjoy these…
Potential sensitive ingredients: Nuts, grains (esp. rice; technically, amaranth is not a grain).