Almond Date Orbs *raw vegan*

These orbs are incredibly healthy and every man, woman and child I've offered them to loves them! They are very easy to make but do require planning because you must soak the nuts. Soaking your nuts makes them more digestible because by soaking them, you wash away enzyme inhibitors and begin the sprouting process. This is very beneficial for your body. Squirrels and other animals bury their nuts and eat them after they have begun to sprout (animals are so much smarter than we are).

Here is a summary of why it's good to soak your nuts.

I became inspired to make these while reading, 12 Steps to Raw Foods: How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Foodby Victoria Boutenko. This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about the raw food diet. When I make these, I tend to wing it and just add whatever amounts seem right at the time but I'll write out a proper recipe for you here that you can change to suit your taste.

Ingredients
1/4 cup raw almonds (soaked over night)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (soaked over night)
1/2 cup of chopped medjool dates (or other dried fruit of your choice)
extra virgin olive oil (as needed for desired consistency)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
unsweetened dried coconut flakes (to your taste)

Directions
Soak the almonds and sunflower seeds overnight in cold water
In the morning, drain and thoroughly rinse your nuts and seeds
*If you are not ready to make your orbs right away, you can seal your seeds now in a container and place them in the fridge for up to a week*
Add your nuts and seeds to a food processor and grind into small chunks
Add 1/2 cup of chopped medjool dates to the food processor and process until it becomes a lump
Transfer to a mixing bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Mix until you have a moist lump of dough
Make the dough into bite sized balls and roll in unsweetened coconut

This recipe freezes well and makes an excellent snack or addition to breakfast. Another great combination is soaked pecans and dried unsweetened cranberries. I was thinking as I made these that ginger would be a great addition to this recipe. I'm going to try that next time for sure!

♥ Andrea ♥