Snowball Truffles + Gifts of Mindfulness & Beauty Balm Giveaway

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Snowflake truffles

The beauty of now is that we are astir with creative and social activities. The challenge is that we may feel scattered, ungrounded, a whirlwind of go-go-go. Managing this buzzy energy which Ayurveda calls “Vata” is essential now, especially when all the world’s a stage, a party, a whir and even a blur.

But nature is here to support you. Specifically, Ayurveda sees this as Vata season, when the energies of air and space are dominant. We need grounding, strengthening, lubricating foods with the fire, water and earth elements to balance.

These holiday “snowball truffles” are a play on a classic Ayurvedic recipe – perfect for this season as they are full of rejuvenative, Ojas-building, Vata-pacifying, and Agni-stimulating ingredients that, like any Ayurvedic formula, is more than the sum of its parts. As well as amping up your health, this recipe will score at parties, because they are so darling, so creamy, and so much earthy love melting in your mouth.

You can try these with other favorite add-ins. I tried raw cacao powder, and it does help the consistency, but I am not sure about the taste. Some said they liked it. I thought it was sort of the taste-equivalent of a dominant personality pushing in on a sweet conversation between two close friends. Madame Ginger and Sweet Miss Cherry interrupted by scene-stealing M. Cacao.

You could also add a scant teaspoon of an Ayurvedic herb ~ Slightly tasting of clove and a known anti-stress agent, Tulsi is a great choice for the holidays. Brain enhancing Brahmi pairs well with chocolate if you go that way, and Ashwagandha is the great rejuvenative, which would help with holiday excess.

If you don’t have raw cacao, melt a dark chocolate bar, but then skip the coconut oil in the batter. If you say ciao to M. Cacao, then add the almond milk slowly, adding only enough so that the ingredients mix, but careful not to make it too gooey.

The options are plenty, but at their base, these are so easy!

Snowball Truffles
Makes about 10-12 truffles

Ingredients

2 handfuls dried cherries
2 handful raisins
1 small handful crystallized ginger
1/4 cup almond butter
1 tablespoon almond milk
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 teaspoon ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon all-spice, or cinnamon, clove, nutmeg combined
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1 pinch pink or sea salt
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Optional: 1/2 cup raw cacao
brahmi, ashwagandha or tulsi powder

Instructions

Put everything except the sesame seeds in an electric blender and mix until it becomes a smooth batter.

* If you add an ayurvedic herb powder, add small pinches at a time and taste as you go. Some herbs add a nice earthiness or peppery distinction, but others can overwhelm. Go slow, taste and adjust – a good holiday motto!

Refrigerate the batter for 20 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

Shake your sesame seeds onto a small plate. Roll the snowballs in the sesame seeds to cover completely. Lay out on a serving platter with fresh cranberry and sprigs of rosemary for color, or pop in a truffle box for gifts.

If you are not serving immediately, keep refrigerated until half an hour before serving. Serve at room temperature.

Vata: Perfect!
Pitta: Use maple syrup in place of honey.
Kapha: Double the amount of cinnamon and enjoy with a mug of ginger tea.

~

More ways to stay grounded this holiday season

I wrote this article for Spirituality & Health to give you three recipes to keep your digestive fires burning bright this holiday season.

Suzanne Clarke has a great series running now called Happy Hearts for Mums. She interviewed me for the series, although I don’t know what I said as I was so sick that day šŸ™‚ Fortunately she also interviewed the brilliant Amanda Collins and many other wise women to create a lovely, engaging series. I truly believe every Mum everywhere should stand up and take a bow, for you are the ones that give, support, heal and uphold life. It takes enormous strength and is hands-down the greatest act of heroism this world knows. So lift yourself up, give yourself a pat on the back (and a long epsom salt bath), and remember: you are the miracle that acted like god and created another miracle. Thank you to all mothers everywhere!

My friend Gia Biscontini, a fun, hip, inspiring genius, has created a 21 day course to build a daily mindfulness practice. It’s only $29 but you get another 15% off if you use the code plumb15.

To celebrate the holidays, the real meaning of the holidays when we celebrate the light of the world, the heart of life, the beauty of you,  I want to give away my favorite skin care product, this Beauty Balm from Banyan Botanicals. I use it on face, hands, elbows, heels, feet at night to enhance sleep, actually all over, all the time. It is rich but absorbent, and deeply nourishing. I am an “Ambassador” for Banyan, which is fortunate because I buy a lot of their products and the discount helps. But they didn’t ask me to do this, and I will be buying the Beauty Balm from their online store and sending to one of the commenters below as my gift.

So leave a comment if you like this recipe, or if you want your name in the hat for a free Beauty Balm.

Next week, I’ll be giving away a copy of my book, Ayurvedic Cooking for Beginners, which will be released February 6, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, please keep your ojas up as you enjoy the holiday cheer.

I wish you joy, peace, love always. xo

Yum

32 thoughts on “Snowball Truffles + Gifts of Mindfulness & Beauty Balm Giveaway”

  1. Laura,
    Such a beautiful recipe, I look forward to adding it to our holiday menu and giving these truffles as a gift at Christmas. Thank you for always sharing your wisdom with the rest of us. Peace to you for this holiday season and best wishes for a warm and healthy new year. Please include my name in your holiday giveaway as I am a big fan of the Banyan Botanical products. Namaste.

    Reply

  2. Hi! What a lovely recipe – will give this a go for sure since it seems to be right up my Vata alley :)))

    AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MY NAME ENTERED FOR THE BEAUTY BALM! I’m a Banyan fan, but often cut back on purchases simply due to $$ constraints.

    Thank you for all you do – and Happy Holidays!
    Barbara

    Reply

  4. I have made other delicious Ojas Balls but this one will rise to the top this holiday for sharing! I love the different ingredients, ginger and cherries, and will enjoy making these with either Brahmi or Ashwaghanda. So happy for your upcoming book,
    and eternally grateful for your continued influence and impact!
    Peace and Bless through every Holy-dayšŸ˜‡

    Reply

  5. Thank you Laura for the beautiful recipe, for your continual sharing of Love, and for your heart music that shines through all of your posts šŸ™‚
    xoxo, cindy

    Reply

  6. Laura,
    This sounds so delicious and easy! Do you think I could split the dough and make 1/2 for Vata and other 1/2 for my Kapha husband?
    Thank you for your beautiful posts and sharing from the Heart. May you have a blessed and beautiful Holiday Season!
    Love, Lisa

    Reply

  10. I’m going to make these beautiful treats for a party on Friday, leaving out the chocolate, because who wants M. Cacao “pushing in on a sweet conversation between two close friends. Madame Ginger and Sweet Miss Cherry”?

    Reply

    • Right? I think the color will be prettier too. But go slow on the almond milk, half the amount, maybe even less since you won’t have the dry cacao powder to soak it up. I hope you enjoy!

      Reply

  14. I love these! I think the tartness of the cherries is a strike of genius as it adds an extra dimension to the recipe! I added extra Brahmi and enjoyed them with a cup of fresh ginger tea. I actually allowed one to dissolve in the tea. It made a yummy tea-soup-treat.
    As always, you are a gift!
    Much Gratitude and in Beauty,
    Tizi

    Reply

    • Tizi, you have invented a new food group! “Tea-soup-treats” should be on the pyramid of essential foods for late autumn/winter. With brahmi, of course it was yummy. Grazie dottoressa!

      Reply

Will you try this? What are you loving this season?

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