No-Bake Make-Ahead Sweet Treat for the Holidays...

Nut Balls, a mouthful of pure heaven!

Here is all you need to make about 30 of these delicious and nutritious treats:

A Food Processor

2 cups Raisins

6 Pitted Dates

1 cup Unsalted Almonds

1 cup Unsalted Walnuts

1 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Extra or Alternative ingredients: Dried Cranberries, Vanilla or Rum Extract, Carob or Cocoa Powder, Pecans, Cashews, Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds...

Using the "S Blade" on your Food processor, chop the nuts real small first, then add the raisins and dates.

Keep the food processor going until you see that the mixture is getting sticky and ready to roll into balls.

The coconut can be incorporated in the nutball mixture, or you can roll them around in the coconut to make them look more festive.

Mini Baking Cup Papers are perfect to "house" the nutballs.

I have also discovered that using silicon decorative ice-cube trays are wonderful to use to create beautiful shapes like the ones you see in the photo on the right.

After 'mushing' the mixture into the trays, put them in the freezer for at least an hour or two. They pop out easily once they are frozen.

Enjoy, stay healthy, and have a Happy New Year!

Ice Cream That Loves You Back!

Recently I gave a demonstration at our local library in Weston, FL of a 'Secret' healthy ice cream recipe that I have been making and perfecting over the years, with frozen bananas as the main ingredient and base of this treat...the best compliment of all was that the many kids that attended kept lining up for 2nds, 3rds, and 4ths of the mini sample cones...that says it all!

We talked about the ingredients found in brand name ice creams, such as Ben & Jerry's, Edy's, Carvel. It was a real eye opener since so many of the ingredients listed are synthetic and difficult to pronounce - not a good sign!

 We touched on some of the many benefits of bananas, such as:

• Available all year round, very affordable.
  
• Rich in vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
  
• Excellent source of fiber, magnesium and potassium.
• No fat, no sodium, no cholesterol.
• Contains three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - giving an instant and substantial boost of energy and a perfect substitute for sweets.
• Excellent baby food.
  

And then we made the ice cream...within minutes of putting a mixture of frozen bananas, walnuts and a few drops of vanilla into the food processor, it magically became a delicious, thick, 'scoopable' store-bought-tasting ice cream treat! Tasted like Vanilla-nut flavor... You can really add any fruit or flavoring you like, including peanut butter (delicious with bananas) carob, and coconut.

You can eat it in a cone, cup or bowl. You can even make an ice cream pie with a base of crushed nuts, raisins and dates, the sky's the limit... I hope you will experiment and perfect your own recipes, and that you comment and let me know about your experience.

Just remember, the ice cream tastes best fresh, right after you make it...

Enjoy!