Using herb powders rolled into bite-sized balls is a brilliant kitchen apothecary tool. Almost any herb can taste good this way. The wisest herbalists use these to acquaint those who are sensitive and discerning of palate, especially children, to a pleasant way of ingesting herbs.
Rosemary Gladstar, an amazing teacher known as the godmother of herbalism, offers the idea of herb balls in the books she has authored. These mix herbal powders into 2 parts nut butter with 1 part sweetener, honey or maple syrup, and are an inspiration to create your own favorite confection. It is true that many herbs are just not appealing to our penchant that leans toward the salty and sweet. They are bitter or sour or overly fragrant. But mix herbal powder with cocoa, peanut butter and honey and the flavor becomes tolerable, even delightful. For me, these also function as a filling and healthy quick breakfast or snack.
If any ingredient in the recipe does not suit your own tastes, feel free to make substitutions, different nuts, maple syrup for honey, or cinnamon instead of ginger. Let your preferences steer you through more eating of herbs.
- ½ cup figs
- 1 cup almonds
- ½ cup cashews
- 2 ½ TBS cocoa powder (Dagoba) Hershey's is also fine
- additional cocoa powder for coating
- 3 TBS honey
- 2 TBS ground flax seed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lavender powder
- ½ tsp ginger
- pinch of salt
- In a small bowl, cover figs with boiling water and soak for 30 minutes.
- Place almonds and cashews in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped completely and begin to form a paste. Stir and scrape down sides to make sure that all of the nuts are incorporated.
- Add soaked figs, cocoa powder, honey, flax seed, vanilla, lavender powder, ginger, and salt. Process until all ingredients are incorporated into a smooth, paste-like consistency. Add a bit more honey if seems too dry.
- Remove from food processor and put into a container with a lid, lined with waxed paper. Cover and freeze for at least 30 minutes, this can stay in the freezer longer though until you are ready to mold into truffles.
- Remove from freezer and roll into small balls, and then roll in additional cocoa powder to coat. This will make your hands messy, but will wash right off. Store truffles, covered in the refrigerator.
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