Cashew Orange Date Balls by Alissa Segersten

CASHEW ORANGE DATE BALLS

BY ALISSA SEGERSTEN, COOKBOOK AUTHOR AND FOOD BLOGGER

Keep a stash of these healthful treats on hand

If you are in the mood for a sweet snack, this recipe can be whipped up within 10 minutes! I like to have a container of some sort of nut-date ball in the refrigerator for my children to pack in their school lunches. One ball serves as a sweet treat and also a good dose of protein and healthy fat.

CASHEW ORANGE DATE BALLS Yield: 1 dozen balls vegan, gluten-free, no refined sugar

1 1/2 cups raw cashews 1 cup medjool dates, pitted 2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened 1 teaspoon orange zest pinch sea salt unsweetened shredded coconut

1. Place the cashews into a food processor fitted with the “s” blade. Process until very finely ground, then add the dates, melted coconut oil, orange zest, and salt. Process again until the dates are very finely ground and the mixture begins to form a ball. 2. Take small handfuls of the cashew-date mixture and form small balls. Roll each ball in the shredded coconut. Transfer to a glass storage container and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University. She is the founder of Whole Life Nutrition and Nourishing Meals, the mother of five children, a whole-foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them, and offers elimination diet recipes, healthy gluten-free recipes, and paleo and vegan recipes, as well as tips for feeding your family a nourishing, whole-foods diet. Alissa is the author of two very popular gluten-free, whole-foods cookbooks and guidebooks: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and Nourishing Meals. She is also the co-author of The Elimination Diet book.

Dreena Burton is one of the pioneering vegan cookbook authors. Vegan for more than 25 years, Dreena is also a mom to three “weegans.” She has charted her journey as a plant-based cook and mother of three through five bestselling cookbooks, including her most recent and beloved title Plant-Powered Families. Dreena has also collaborated with renowned plant-based physician Dr. Barnard on The Cheese Trap, and co-authored their most recent Cookbook for Reversing Diabetes.

Specializing in oil-free, whole-foods vegan recipes, Dreena’s secret ingredient is her passion. Reputed for reliability, her recipes bring whole foods together in unexpected ways to yield delicious flavors and rich textures. Dreena’s recipes are regularly featured by groups including Forks Over Knives, Engine 2 Diet, UC Davis Integrative Medicine, Kris Carr, Blue Zones, The Humane Society, and The Food Network.