gingerbread bliss balls

Fall is in the air. It’s now dark when I wake up in the morning before 6am, leaves are starting to change color and the mornings are cool and crisp. I have mixed feelings about fall (I hate to see summer go…) however one of the things I love about fall is the food….carrot and ginger soup, butternut squash ravioli, mushroom risotto….the list is endless but these are just a few of my favorites. Cooler days and rain also make me want to bake and today was no exception. Except I didn’t have all the ingredients I needed to make my a ginger bread loaf. So instead, I made these vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free bliss balls. It’s an easy, no bake recipe that tastes just like a slice of gingerbread loaf. This recipe comes from a plant based blog called ‘Rise, Shine, Cook.’ Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsalted and raw pecans or almonds (I used 1/2 a cup of each)

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats gluten-free if needed

¼ cup ground flaxseed

1 packed cup pitted soft medjool or deglet noor dates

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses or regular molasses

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon sea salt

For Rolling

¼ cup toasted coconut or ground cacao nibs (see notes), optional

Creating the Magic!

Place the nuts and oats in a food processor and pulse several times until the nuts are broken up.

Add all remaining ingredients (except coconut or cacao for rolling) to the processor and process continuously for about a minute or until the mix sticks together easily when squeezed between your fingers.

Roll about 2 tablespoons of the mix together and shape into a tight ball. Roll in toasted or raw unsweetened coconut or ground cacao nibs if desired. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up 3 months.