Ashwagandha Balls
I’m always thinking of healthy treats to make that hits the sweet spot with out being too sweet.
These balls, which look like cups because I couldn’t be bothered to roll them into a ball, are a regular for my husband and myself. I make them weekly to have with a cup of tea or when you just need something yummy.
I started adding in Ashwagandha powder to help with the stresses of life. Now I know its only a small amount but every bit helps.
So let me tell you a little bit about Ashwagandha. Withania somnifera (ashwaghanda) comes from the solanaceae family and the root is used from the plant. It’s main use is as an adaptagen, which helps the body adapt to stress. Now who doesn’t need help when you are feeling stressed? I vary the amount I add to these balls dependant on whether we need a bit more in our life, in stressful times. I have added 2 tablespoon and to be honest it really does help!
In no way is this a therapeutic dose that is saved for tinctures in my practice but I’ve found that this is enough at times to help. Maybe its also the fact it has cacao powder in it that also helps with neurotrasmitter production.
The other benefit of this recipe is that it is full of healthy fats, has the benefits of dates and raw honey and also has bee pollen (an antioxidant) in it. It’s a little power house of goodness.
Lets get on to the recipe because I know you’ll love it as much as we do.
INGREDIENTS
8 medjool dates ( you can use 4 then its not as sweet)
1/2 cup of pepitas (pumpkin) seeds
1/2 sunflower seeds
1/2 sesame seeds
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 hemp seeds
1/4 cup bee pollen
1/4 cacao powder
1/2 cup almond butter or nut butter of your choice
1/4 raw honey ( more if you need to bind it more together)
2 teaspoons of ashwaganda powder ( can be purchased at your local health food store)
2 tablespoon of coconut oil
1/2 cup of soy crisps ( these can be bought at coles. I add this for added protein)
150 grams dark chocolate (I use Whittakers Dark Ghana)
Pinch of celtic sea salt
METHOD
Add medjool dates to blender or Thermomix and blend to a paste.
2. Add seeds and blend till crumbs.
3. Add all other ingredients except the soy crisps and dark chocolate.
4. Blend until all combined. Squeeze a small amount in your fingers to see if it holds together, if it’s too crumbly then you can add either more nut butter, honey or coconut oil to bind it together. It all depends how whether you would like it sweeter or not. Start with a tablespoon of your selected ingredients and add more if necessary.
5. Use a tablespoon measuring spoon, squish the mixture into the spoon and level off. Remove from the spoon and either leave as is or roll into a ball.
I use to roll into a ball but now I leave in the shape of a cup to save a bit of time.
6. Place the balls on parchment paper. Once all the mixture is used put into the fridge to go hard.
7. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, drizzle over the top of each ball and then put back into the fridge for the chocolate to set.