Meatless Monday: Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free Truffles

Over the weekend I was craving something sweet after a rough couple of days with Lily. As I said on Friday's post, she was feeling sick and we were also in the midst of potty training; between those things, she was just being a handful in general, and mommy was burnt out by the time she finally got to sleep on Friday.

I didn't want anything too sugary because my teeth have been bothering me (plus it's obviously healthier to lay-off the extra sugar!), and I didn't want anything too heavy, like ice cream. Then, I came across this recipe while I was browsing recipe blogs and inspiration struck! I recently finally bought a food processor, and I had many of the ingredients to make these tasty treats, but I changed it up enough to make it my own, and I made 2 different versions...

Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free Truffles
(each recipe makes about 12 truffles)

Cashew and Date Delights

1/2 cup raw cashews (helps if they've been soaked in water for a few hours)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp honey or agave syrup
7 pitted dates
1-2 tbsp shredded coconut (unsweetened)

Process the cashews in food processor until chopped to a mostly fine, crumble (or to your liking). Add the rest of the ingredients and process 5 seconds at a time until all is mashed together and somewhat sticky. If it's too dry looking, add some more coconut oil or water, and if it's too wet, add more cocoa powder. 

Remove the blade, then roll chunks of the sticky brown mess into little balls like in the picture below. Next, roll into shredded coconut. They can be served right away or refrigerated to keep. 

Peanutty Balls

1/2 cup raw peanuts (also helps if they've soaked)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp peanut butter
2-3 tbsp honey
5 dates
1 graham cracker

Process the graham cracker into fine crumble and set aside. Process the peanuts in food processor until chopped to a mostly fine, crumble (or to your liking). Add the rest of the ingredients and process 5 seconds at a time until all is mashed together and somewhat sticky. If it's too dry looking, add some water, if it's too wet, add more cocoa powder. Add more honey if desired, to taste.

Remove the blade, then roll chunks of the sticky brown mess into little balls. Next, roll the balls into the graham cracker crumbs. They can be served right away or refrigerated to keep. 

I personally liked the Date Delights better, but I was then craving peanut butter on Saturday and decided to change it up. There are so many possibilities, actually. Here are some other ingredient suggestions:

• almonds
• dried cranberries
• raisins
• cashew and/or almond butter
• dried cherries
• espresso beans
• hazelnuts
• macadamias
• cacao

So many possibilities for such a quick and easy treat! And best of all, a treat you don't have to feel guilty about eating! Lily took a bite and right away said, "Mmmm", followed by, "I want more". Paul was impressed as well, but still prefers the classic sugary sweets (he's not the best role model in those respects). I'm hoping to perfect these even more so that he will enjoy them over traditional cookies and pastries.

Or you could enjoy them without any coating...along with a glass of pinot noir :)

Adding nuts to your diet is a good way to keep your heart healthy and cholesterol levels low. This is pretty common knowledge, but did you know that using dates as a replacer for sugar can also be beneficial in ways other than keeping refined sugars out of your diet? They are full of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins, potassium and copper. Do keep in mind that they are still high in sugar and carbs, so eat sparingly! It's just good to know that they are better for you than straight up sugar! 

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week!

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What are you having for Meatless Monday??? May I suggest sharing some more healthy versions of desserts? I'm a on a roll here!

Clearly, she's feeling better :)