Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

200g fresh dates

210g organic canned coconut cream 

2 tbsp seeds or nut meal (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds or hazelnuts)

70g Changing Habits Cacao Wafers

1/8 tsp Changing Habits Seaweed Salt

1 Changing Habits Vanilla Pod

Topping flavour for rolling in: Coconut, sesame seeds, nuts, hemp seeds, cinnamon OR blend an equal amount of rapadura sugar to cacao wafers until fine, with a dash of cinnamon and use this to role the balls in (yum!).  

Method without a Thermomix:

1. Chop the dates finely and set aside

2. Warm the cacao, seaweed salt and coconut cream in a pan until the cacao is melted (do not boil, best done in a double boiler).

3. Add dates, chosen seed or nut meal, melted cacao and coconut mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.

4. Transfer mixture to freezer for 20 to 30 mins (don't leave any longer or they will be too firm to roll)

5. Roll in balls using wet fingertips so the mixture doesn't stick to your hands

6. Place in refrigerator to chill 

A Few Simple Steps to Survive the Christmas Festivities

Christmas seems to be a time when all common sense about food, diet and alcohol goes out the window. Food, drink and parties are plentiful and so are hangovers. Below are a few tips by nutritionist and best-selling author Cyndi O'Meara of Changing Habits (www.changinghabits.com.au) to help you survive with good health, lots of energy and without gaining too many kilos during this festive season!

When drinking make sure you drink a glass of water between each alcoholic drink

If you're drinking spirits, have them served with ice, water or soda water - the fizzy sugar drinks contribute to the hangover so stay away from them! Drink good bottled wine – not out of a cask – and if beer is your choice, choose the low alcohol beers. Stay away from all premixed drinks out of a can or bottle too. They are full of sugar and additives. And it would be wise not to mix high energy and caffeine drinks with any alcohol - this is a dangerous combination! Last of all, try not to mix your drink. Stick to one type, but remember the glass of water in between!

Avoid food hangovers

When you combine too many foods – chicken wings, meat balls, savoury tarts, chips, cheese selections, crackers and the like – it is very taxing on the digestive system. Food begins to putrefy in the stomach and releases toxic chemicals into the blood stream. You start to feel lousy, with no energy and most people after indulging in too much food the night before, wake up feeling like they have a hangover – in particular a food hangover. The best thing is the hair of dog – ie. more food and drink but it must be fruit and water, as this will help you digest the food and clean any toxins out of the system. But rather then looking for a cure, let's look at prevention...

Think before you eat

When you're standing around drinking and talking, it's hard to concentrate on the food coming around. Your hand just seems to go out and grab whatever is in front of you. An important part of surviving the Christmas cocktail party without ending up the next morning with a food hangover is to think before you grab.

Conscious Consumption

Decide when you get to the party what you are going to eat and not going to eat. Decide on one type of meat, so when the chicken wings circle then decide that chicken will be the only meat you will be eating (but please, don't touch the fake little red boys) and do not mix your proteins. This is a sure way to end up with a food hangover! Another good choice would be to have the vegetables and the non cheese dips. This will ensure that the chicken wings will be well digested and you'll get a good night's sleep. It is good to avoid the fried foods as well, as the fat slows down the digestive process. By making good choices you'll avoid feeling horrible the next day. The key is to not mix too many of your food groups, keep it simple.

I know I know! It's great to try everything, but face it, you have probably tried most of the food out there and it won't be much different, so why suffer the next morning? It is your choice!

Cyndi O'Meara
www.changinghabits.com.au