These make a great treat for that someone special! You don’t even have to bake them.

I decided to make something special for my mom and sister-in-law’s birthday this year, and these dessert balls offer a nice, sweet presentation. A lower glycemic version of this recipe is to omit the agave or honey and replace it with stevia to taste.

Prep time: About 30 minutes

Yield: About 40 almond balls

Ingredients

½ cup cacao butter
1 cup almond butter
¾ cup almonds, chopped, plus 1 more cup chopped almonds
¾ cup cacao or carob powder
¾ cup goji berries
½ cup agave nectar or honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon mineral sea salt (omit if almond butter is salted)

Directions

In a glass bowl, add shaved cacao butter. Place into a larger bowl with hot water to liquefy. Make sure no water mixes with the cacao butter. Leaving 1 cup chopped almonds aside, mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Chill for 20 minutes. With a spoon, roll up small balls and roll in the chopped almonds.

Jennifer McClelland

Jennifer McClelland is an international leader in raw food cuisine, and her passion is to merge gourmet eating with optimal nutrition. She is a graduate of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute and is a certified Raw Food Chef and Instructor.

Pioneering the raw food movement in China, Jennifer has been featured on CCTV (China Central Television), ICS TV (International Shanghai Channel) and BON TV (Blue Ocean Network), and in publications such as Global Times, Lifestyle, and Time Out. Jennifer divides her time between the U.S. and China teaching classes, consultations and events for individuals, corporations and embassies.

Jennifer also hosts the TV Show, Be Deliciously Healthy™ on Youtube. Visit her website www.jennifermcclelland.com to check out her raw resources, healthy food tips, natural beauty tips and blogs.