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By Katja Heino 3 Comments
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Holiday Bliss Balls

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Holiday Bliss Balls savorylotus.com

My goal is not to stress over the holidays.  Winter is supposed to be a time of rest, nourishment, and quiet times. And the way I de-stress over the busy holiday season is to make magic in the kitchen.  Today I am sharing one of my favorite anti-stress holiday treats:  Holiday Bliss Balls.

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What makes these holiday treats so blissful, you may ask.  It’s the fact that they are loaded with a powerful adaptogen herb called ashwagandha.  Ashwagandha is a shrub that grows in India, as well as in North America, and has been used as an herbal remedy for hundreds of years.   Numerous modern studies have found that ashwagandha shows great promise for being effective in reducing inflammation, decreasing stress, increasing mental activity, invigorating the body, and as an antioxidant.

What exactly is an adaptogen?

An adaptogen is an herb that increases the bodies ability to adapt to stress and changing situations.  Without being over-stimulating or inhibiting normal body function, these plants have a normalizing effect on the body.  They are tonifying and balancing.  By definition, they are non-toxic, have a “non-specific” activity, increasing the resistance of your entire body rather than any specific organ, and  promote homeostasis in the body.  Specifically, adaptogens recharge the adrenal glands, which are the body’s mechanism for responding to stress and emotional changes.   Isn’t that awesome?  Couldn’t we all use a little help balancing and supporting our poor, over-worked adrenals.

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwa-what?  Ashwagandha.  Pronounced Osh-wa-gan-da.   I love this herb.  I discovered it while studying Ayurveda several years ago.  It is such a gentle but powerful adaptogenic.  I love to use it in food.  I love to make tea with it.  And I especially love to make treats with it.

Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that is best known for it’s restorative benefits.  It is commonly used to calm and soothe the nervous system, to enhance resistance to stress, for refreshing the mind, and for boosting endurance, stamina, and sexual energy.  (yes, these balls could leave you feeling a little frisky!)

This particular recipe calls for a little less than an ounce of ashwagandha powder.  You can usually buy it at your local herb shop by the ounce  or order it online in bulk.

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So, if you are needing a little bit of help battling the stress of the holidays or could use a little extra boost to your mood and endurance, these delicious little bliss balls are for you.  Along with the ashwagandha, I have added warming and sweet spices to add to their potent punch.

Cinnamon:  Sweet and heating; Increases sweating and detox through the skin.

Ginger: Pungent, sweet, and heating; cardiac tonic, promotes appetite and assists digestion, and improves absorption and assimilation.

Cardamom: Pungent, sweet, and heating; good for the heart, promotes digestion, and a great sweet substitute.

Garam Masala: Pungent and heating; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Raw Cacao: technically not a spice but a powerful anti-oxidant.  And delicious to boot!

These little balls are super versatile.  You can make them plain and simple.  Each little bite will be a powerhouse of spice and vitality. Or add some anti-inflammatory, protein, and mineral rich pumpkin seeds or some fruit-sweetened dried cranberries.  My sweetie loves them dusted with raw cacao.  And my favorite is to roll them in shredded coconut.

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Holiday Bliss Balls

  • Author: Katja from Savory Lotus
  • Yield: makes 30- 40 blissful balls 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup almond butter
  • 1/3 cup raw honey (I use this one)
  • 1 TBS vanilla extract
  • 1 TBS cacao (like this) or unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 TBS ashwaganda powder (like this)
  • 1 TBS cinnamon powder
  • 1 TBS ginger powder
  • 1 TBS cardamom powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala (like this)
  • OPTIONAL:
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • dried cranberries (like this)
  • shredded coconut
  • more cacao or cocoa for dusting

Instructions

  1. Mix all spices and cacao (or cocoa) together in a small bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a larger bowl, combine almond butter, vanilla extract, and honey until creamy smooth. Add the spice mixture and mix until well combined.
  3. Add optional pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries here if desired. Then roll into desired sized balls. I like to make them pretty small as each little bliss ball is pretty potent.
  4. Roll in shredded coconut or dust with more cacao (or cocoa).
  5. When feeling stressed OR when you just want a little ball of bless, pop one or two in your mouth and ENJOY!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @savorylotus on Instagram and hashtag it #savorylotus

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Hi I’m Katja!

And this is how we do healthy in our family. Just REAL food. Simple. Easy. Gluten free. More about Savory Lotus

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👉 do you have digestive issues? 👉 because 👉 do you have digestive issues? 

👉 because of high stress lifestyles, many of us have an overworked, under-functioning digestive system, imbalanced intestinal flora and a continuous flow of intestinal toxins seeping into the bloodstream 😩 • constipation, diarrhea 💩, gas 💨, heartburn 🔥 + IBS are common complaints of many adults in the US

👉 impaired digestion leads to intestinal toxemia • slow digestion + constipation allow bacteria in the gut to act upon undigested food, producing toxic chemicals and gases that damage the mucous lining, resulting in increased intestinal permeability known as leaky gut • leaky gut can lead to inflammation , food sensitivities, autoimmune reactions, anxiety, depression, acne, + so much more

👉 the colon is one of our major drainage pathways for eliminating toxins + wastes out of the body • it’s no surprise that there has been a huge up-tick in colon cancer as environmental toxins + constipation have increased 

👉 what if our medical system had a better understanding of drainage pathways + the importance of digestive health? • what if our primary doctors talked to us about parasites, pathogens, enemas, saunas, hydration, mindful eating, low stomach acid, + real nutrition? • what if our food system wasn’t corporate sponsored and geared towards profits instead of health? 

👉 i personally had to see 5 different integrative + functional medicine practitioners in order to find real healing • none of it was covered by my insurance • not everyone can afford this • how do millions of people in the country suffer from digestive issues (which lead to a whole host of chronic health issues) but we have no real answer, just band-aids? • how much 💰 does the pharmaceutical industry make from these digestive issues • just starting the conversation • bc i see so many people suffering ❤️

👉P.S. my intention is not to harp on conventional medicine • i’ve been an RN for almost 17 years working bedside with women + their families • i’m speaking from my personal experience of seeing my patient population get sicker + sicker over the years • we are not doing it right • we are missing the mark 🎯
🎂🎂 i’m always looking for a reason to cele 🎂🎂 i’m always looking for a reason to celebrate • finding those small pockets of joy ✨✨ • so when someone i LOVE has a birthday, this is the cake i like to make ❤️ • BROWNIE BOTTOM ICE CREAM CAKE • two layers of your favorite ice cream nested on top of the most delicious gluten + grain free (+ vegan) brownie layer topped with fresh whipped cream, berries, + shaved chocolate • so easy to make and so fun to eat • to make dairy, use dairy free ice cream + coconut whipped cream 

🎂🎂 recipe link in bio 

https://www.savorylotus.com/brownie-bottom-ice-cream-cake/
🍓🍓 berry season is almost here • that mean 🍓🍓 berry season is almost here • that means i can start making STRAWBERRY BANANA BREAD again 🍓 🍌• soft, moist, and exploding with fresh strawberry flavor • it's next level banana bread 

🍓🍓 hands down the best smelling thing i have ever baked • seriously! •  it's gluten and grain free • no added sweeteners, just super ripe bananas 🍌🍌🍌• i could eat this EVERY day

🍓🍓recipe link in profile 

https://www.savorylotus.com/strawberry-banana-bread/
🍋🍋 if you’re looking for a healthy, delici 🍋🍋 if you’re looking for a healthy, delicious cake to make for mother’s day, a birthday, or just to celebrate another day of life, this BLACKBERRY LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE  is it 🍋🍋 • it's beautiful, it’s tasty, + it’s guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser 

🍋🍋 2 moist layers of light + fluffy cake, smothered in sweet blackberry chia jam, and finished off with indulgent whipped cream • what i love most is the simplicity of this cake • nothing better than fresh berries + cream, IMHO • my inner scandinavian adores this cake 🇫🇮🇫🇮

🍋🍋 recipe link in bio if you wanna bake

https://www.savorylotus.com/blackberry-lemon-poppy-seed-cake-gluten-free/
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