Vegetarian Recipes - The Yoga Sanctuary Newsletter

VEGETARIAN RECIPES - NEWS FROM THE YOGA SANCTUARY

Recipes from Janine's Kitchen ~ May 2007 Recipes

At a full moon gathering with some friends a few years ago, someone brought these incredible little round nuggets of sweetness shaped just like the moon we were there to celebrate. None of us could believe that, with all their nutty sweetness, there was no added sugar in the recipe. When I started working for Omega last fall, I brought these Cashew-Cardamom-Date Balls to the office my first week and have received regular requests for them ever since. These bundles of energy helped us get through our busy catalog production time this winter and they continue to be
the recipe I turn to when I need something relatively quick and easy to take to a gathering. They're a huge hit wherever I take them. - Jennifer Brown

Cashew Cardamom Date Balls
A Naturally Sweet Treat

1 cup lightly toasted cashew pieces
cardamom seeds from 2 to 4 pods or 1/8 to1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom
1 cup finely chopped dates
finely grated peel of one orange
1/2 cup dried coconut, toasted and then powdered in blender

Chop cashews rather fine (the blender chops them too fine). Remove cardamom from pods and grind with a mortar and pestle or between two spoons. Combine cashews and cardamom in a bowl with dates and orange peel. Knead mixture with fingertips until uniform, then roll in 1-inch balls and coat them with coconut. Makes 18.

Note: If the dates become too sticky to work with, run your hands or the knife under warm water.

Jennifer Brown is an editorial manager at Omega. She loves to create and to edit-especially with words, plants, and food. Her latest adventures include making fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, which her coworkers also enjoyed very much.