Mini Anise Date Bites

 

So I took my mother’s popular anise date bars and turned them into mini tart-lets, with no gluten, added sugar, eggs, or dairy. So this is a perfect recipe with people who have intolerance or allergies.

My FAVORITE part about this recipe- you simply toss everything in the food processor- just like my famous black bean brownies. Speaking of brownies, next post up: mini brownie tart-lets with a unique specialty topping.

For now, back to the date bites. 

Almost every ingredient has wonderful benefits, yes, including the pink salt. It’s the only salt I use, close to nature, full of nutrients, and wonderful in taste.

 

Yansoon (anise) Cookie Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Almond Flour
1/4 cup Organic RAW honey
1/4 cup Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
Dash of Himalayan Pink Salt or Unrefined Sea Salt
2 tablespoons Organic flax seed (ground or whole)
1 tablespoon Anise Seed
1 tablespoon ground anise (I grind the seeds fresh)

Date Sauce Ingredients:

1 pack fresh dates ground (pureed without pits)
Cup  fresh squeezed orange juice (or coconut milk/almond milk) 

Walnuts to top

 

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.  Grease your mini muffin tin with coconut oil.

Place all yansoon cookie ingredients in the food processor until dough like.

Place cookie dough evenly into each muffin tin in a cup formation, keeping the center a bit open.

BAKE for 6-7 minutes

On your stove-top in a small sauce pan melt together your date filling ingredients.

Remove cookies and fill with the date sauce. Top with a half raw walnut. Back for additional 2 minutes.

Allow to cool and serve. 🙂

Yum.

 

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I Scream For… Bananas!

Let’s take a break from brownies.

“I screamed for ice cream” as a child, but eventually learned it may not be the best for me.

Just a few months ago I converted frozen bananas into… yes, ice cream, or at least something that tastes as delectable as ice cream, satisfies your sweet tooth, has that creamy texture, and best of all, is good for you! So you get the remarkable taste and texture, and leave behind the unwanted 40+ ingredients in most brands!

I made this the first time only with bananas and my siblings thought the taste of banana was overpowering, so tossing in berries not only covers up the banana flavor, but it adds a nice color too.

 

Ingredients: 

4 Frozen bananas peeled and pre-sliced

½ cup milk (I used almond milk or canned organic coconut milk the fat adds to the creaminess)

1 cup blackberries (or any other fruit, get creative!)

Optional toppings: raw walnuts, antioxidant and benefit full goji berries, or raw cacao nibs

Directions: (can’t get easier than this!)

STEP 1:

Place your frozen bananas and almond milk in the food processor and blend on high until creamy.

You may need to stop, turn off the machine, and scrape the sides a few times with a spatula.

Frozen bananas

Stopping to scrape sides down…

STEP 2:

Add the blackberries (or other fruit) and blend until well mixed and smooth. 

Add blackberries (or fruit)!

Ta-da!

STEP 3:

Serve in desired bowls. Top with fresh berries, mango, or other fruit, and if you’re a nut-a-holic like me, pile on raw walnuts, pistachios, or cashews. Toppings are unlimited, there are no rules. 😉 

 

Fresh mango slice.

I pile on raw walnuts and pistachios.

 Now tell me, what’s better… going to the store and grabbing a bucket of junk-full ice cream, or enjoying a plate of this?