Characteristics

This decadent combo provides a simple treat for your end-of-the-year holidays. While many reach for eggnog and sweets that are full of bad fats, bad sugars, and various processed foods full of synthetic, refined, and unnatural ingredients, you can feel good reaching for these nutrient-dense and health-promoting treats. These healthy treats are full of healthy carbohydrates, fats, protein, and full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants since they are made of real, whole, plant foods. The banana-nog is a mock eggnog that tastes surprisingly similar and provides a delicious and creamy holiday treat. The chocolate-almond truffles are velvety and provide a rich chocolate experience.

TYPE: Dessert, Snack
PREP TIME: < 15 mins (+ time for chilling)
SERVINGS: makes about 4 cups of banana-nog and about 30-40 truffles

Characteristics

  • 100% Plant-based / Vegan
  • Whole, real food
  • Raw food
  • Gluten-free
  • Wheat-free
  • Soy-free
  • Corn-free
  • Peanut-free
  • Refined Sugar-free

Goodies Needed*

INGREDIENTS:

Banana-nog:

Chocolate Truffles:

TOOLS:

Preparation Steps

Banana-nog

  1. Peel the bananas and place all of the ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until a smooth, creamy, and uniform consistency is reached.
  2. Serve “as is” at room temperature or place in the refrigerator for a few hours to enjoy it in a chilled form. Store any extras in the fridge in a sealed jar and use up within 24 to 48 hours.

Chocolate-Almond Truffles

  1. Remove the pits from each of the dates.
  2. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and process on high until a smooth and sticky consistency is reached. Test a small amount with your fingers to make sure that the ingredients stick together, if it is unclear by just looking into the food processor.
  3. Place some of the extra cacao powder on a plate.
  4. Remove about a tablespoon of the mixture at a time, shape in your hands into a ball, and then roll in the cacao powder to coat. Continue the process until all of the mixture is used up.
  5. Chill the truffles in the fridge or freezer for a few hours to harden. (The truffles can be made ahead of time and stored in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer, where they should be stored at all times when not being eaten.)

Meal Nutritional Benefits

Bananas

  • provide healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and are virtually fat-free
  • provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provide vitamins, including vitamin A, C, E, K, and most B vitamins
  • provide minerals, including potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and zinc
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy digestion, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases

Almonds / Almond Butter

  • provide healthy fats, protein, some carbohydrates, and fiber
  • provide phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provide vitamins, especially vitamin A, E, and most B vitamins, including folate
  • provide minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, and manganese
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, osteoporosis, and other diseases
  • Tips: Choose organic and raw almonds and almond butter, as conventional almonds and roasted almonds have pesticide, toxin, and other health concerns.

Vanilla

  • provides antioxidants and phytonutrients, like vanilloids, and has anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides some B vitamins
  • provides some minerals, especially manganese, potassium, copper, and magnesium
  • supports healing, prevention, and overall health
  • supports cardiovascular and nervous system health Tips: Use the vanilla bean directly or choose pure, natural, and organic vanilla extracts. Avoid synthetic vanilla and similar artificial vanilla products.

Medjool Dates

  • provide healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and are virtually fat-free
  • provide phytonutrients and antioxidants
  • have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties
  • provide vitamins, especially the B vitamins
  • provide minerals, especially potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium, calcium, and iron
  • support optimal health, energy, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support digestive, immune, and cardiovascular health

Cacao (Powder, Nibs, Beans)

  • provides healthy fats, protein, some carbohydrates, and fiber
  • provides lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides vitamins, especially most B vitamins
  • provides minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • contains euphoric properties (anandamide), aphrodisiac properties (arginine), anti-depressant properties (tryptophan), anti-aging properties, and helps to stimulate and balance brain activity
  • helps maintain healthy blood pressure and blood sugar
  • protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
  • Tips: This information applies specifically to pure cacao products and not any chocolate with added dairy, sugar, or other additives. Choose organic and raw pure cacao products for maximum nutrition and health benefits.

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