Skip to main content

Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

Palo-Santo-Candles

Pumpkin Spice No-Bake Energy Balls

Oct 30, 2020 09:30AM ● By Carrie Forrest
Pumpkin Spice No-Bake Energy Balls Recipes

photo by Carrie Forrest, CleanEatingKitchen.com

This dish is gluten-free, vegan and paleo.

Yield: 15 servings

1½ cups raw almonds
¼ cup hemp seeds
¼ cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbsp coconut oil
¼ cup pumpkin puree
10 pitted Medjool dates, about 1 cup

For pumpkin pie spice dusting:
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Combine the almonds, hemp seeds, coconut, pumpkin pie spice, coconut oil, pumpkin puree and dates in the base of a food processor. Turn the processor on high for about two minutes or until the ingredients are well combined.

Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and then use your hands to roll the dough into about 15 cookies, each about 1½ inch in diameter.

To make the pumpkin pie spice dusting, place the coconut sugar and pumpkin pie spice onto a plate. Roll each cookie in the sugar until covered.

For the best texture and sweetness, place the cookies in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours to chill.

Chef’s notes: Freeze these cookies for up to 2 months in a tightly sealed container. Defrost them in the fridge for about 4 hours before serving. For refined sugar-free servings, leave off the coconut sugar dusting. You can easily double or triple this recipe depending on how many energy bites you need to make.


Reprinted from Carrie Forrest, Clean Eating Kitchen.


More Savory Thanksgiving Dishes


photo by Brian Olson

Mushroom Gravy

This rich, flavorful, vegan mushroom gravy recipe is perfect served over potatoes and veggie loafs. It’s easy to prepare and inexpensive. Read More » 

 

photo by Kim Campbell

Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole

This vegan twist on the classic green bean casserole recipe is a healthy way to incorporate more vegetables into Thanksgiving feasts. Read More » 

 

photo by StraightToTheHipsBabycomJessie-Sierra Ross

Cranberry Sauce with Maple Syrup

Delicious maple syrup, orange juice, cinnamon and cranberries are boiled down to a syrupy, slightly sweet and spicy sauce in this tasty holiday recipe. Read More » 

 

Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

Follow Us On Facebook