Coconut Hazelnut Balls

I have got into the habit of making raw nut milk and sweet treats using the leftover pulp. After enjoying those delicious Chocolate Balls with almond pulp I wanted a more exotic taste, so I made these pretty little coconut snowballs with hazelnut pulp. I also used virgin coconut oil for the first time and the balls had the most amazing aroma. No wonder coconut oil is used in aromatherapy for its soothing, stress-relieving effects. This recipe is very simple and requires minimal preparation.

These treats are so easy to make. Here's what you need:

• pulp from 200 g organic hazelnuts (almost 2 cups lightly packed, leftover from making Raw Hazelnut Milk)
• 1 cup soft dates (about 16), pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut powder (not coconut milk powder)
• 2 Tb organic virgin coconut oil (no need to melt it)
• 3/4 - 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut for rolling

Put the chopped dates in the food processor and blend to form a smooth paste. Scrape down the sides once or twice to get the same consistency (click the Chocolate Balls link above for more pictures).

Transfer the date paste to a glass bowl and add the hazelnut pulp, coconut powder and coconut oil. Mix by hand until well combined. Thanks to the oil the mixture doesn't stick to the hand, but it holds together well when pressed.

Form bite-sized balls by rolling them between your palms (I got 31). No need to be perfect about the shape now, you'll take care of that later.

By the time they're all rolled out, they're slightly dry on the outside, so just wet one hand or coat it with coconut oil and give them a quick roll one by one before dipping them in desiccated coconut and coat them well using your dry hand. This is where you need to apply a little pressure so the flakes stick to the balls. Keep turning the balls around in your hand so they maintain their round shape.

There isn't a lot of moisture in these balls, so better make them shortly before serving (alternatively add more dates or coconut oil). Meanwhile keep them at room temperature in a bowl covered with cling film. Serve them with a glass of hazelnut or coconut milk, as they are quite dense.

I cannot praise these kid-friendly treats highly enough, they are rich, mildly sweet, delicately flavoured and quite addictive. In addition to being very delicious, they have many health benefits thanks to the nutrient-dense coconut, dates and hazelnuts.

Virgin coconut oil is widely used as food for its many health benefits and as medicine for its healing properties. These are some of them:

• it boosts the metabolism and helps the body burn fat more effectively
• it is great for weight management, promotes heart health and improves thyroid function
• it has no cholesterol
• although high in saturated fats, the larger part of them are medium-chain fatty acids which are absorbed from the small intestine straight into the liver; as a result the body burns calories much faster than it burns calories from other fat sources
• it has a high concentration of lauric acid (almost 50%) which has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antimicrobial properties, and boosts the immune system (breast milk is the only other natural source that contains such a high amount of lauric acid)
• it has healing properties far beyond those of any other dietary oil
• it is an excellent natural face and body moisturizer and is widely used in hair and skin care
• it is great for pets too.

For more information on coconut oil please read 160 Uses For Coconut Oil by Hybrid Rasta Mama.

Enjoy these treats and spread the magic!:)


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