Vegan Date Truffles (raw)

I'm smitten with slow, quiet mornings. Soft natural light seeping through the windows, sweet songs of birds, and the smell of early fall in the air entice my senses and reward me for rising early. I can't get enough of the earthy glow that enters our new home throughout the day, but especially just after sunrise in the kitchen. This morning, I got inspired to make a naturally sweet treat for our relaxing Labor Day off -- Vegan Date Truffles with a hint of orange oil.

While I almost never eat processed white sugar, I moderately indulge in nature's own candies; dates. When paired with the subtle sweetness of raw pecans, the classic combination of fruit and nut comes alive in a burst of flavor. Orange oil and coconut oil add a deeper layer to the otherwise simple combination. The coconut oil also acts as a further binder, especially when chilled to set in the fridge. In my opinion, you can't have a proper truffle without some form of chocolate. I couldn't resist rolling these in raw cocoa powder--the dates sweeten the powder on their own in this raw dessert.

Vegan Date Truffles(raw)

This recipe is free of: Gluten, Soy, Dairy, Peanuts, Legumes, Grains, Eggs, and Processed Sugar.

Yield: 9 truffles

• 1 cup raw pecans
• 4 medjool dates, pitted
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Simply Organic Orange oil
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• Raw cocoa powder for dusting/rolling the truffles in

1. Combine pitted dates, raw pecans and dash of salt in a food processor. Pulse until a rough consistency is reached.
2. Add the coconut oil and orange oil and pulse until the pecan pieces are very small and start to stick to the dates. Be sure not to over-process the mixture as you want to preserve some texture instead of having the truffles be too fine.
3. Remove the mixture from the food processor and form into small round balls using hands. When all the truffles are formed into neat balls, roll them in loose cocoa powder. Shake off the excess powder and let them chill in the fridge for about 30-40 minutes, or until set. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature.

Happy & Healthy Labor Day

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