• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Savory Lotus

simple clean eats + healthy treats

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
  • Resources
  • Safe Skincare
    • BEAUTYCOUNTER
    • PRIMALLY PURE
  • MEAL PLANS

By Katja Heino 3 Comments
Savory Lotus may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this post.

Holiday Bliss Balls

Jump to Recipe

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.

Screen shot 2013-11-07 at 6.06.03 PM

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.

Screen shot 2013-11-07 at 6.04.27 PM

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.

Screen shot 2013-11-07 at 6.09.38 PM

Screen shot 2013-11-07 at 6.11.24 PM

Screen shot 2013-11-07 at 6.09.50 PM

Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon

Holiday Bliss Balls

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

Scale

Ingredients

  • 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

Screen shot 2013-11-07 at 6.06.14 PM

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Posts you might also like

Filed Under: Desserts

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

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

Follow Me on Instagram

creating recipes is my favorite part of what i do creating recipes is my favorite part of what i do • testing out a nordic nut + seed bread 🍞🍞• no flour • no yeast • no kneading • no proofing • and just 10 minutes to prep • like a dense European/Scandinavian style loaf 🇫🇮🇫🇮 • perfect for open faced sandos • testing mine with goat cheese + sprouts • turned out so dang good • recipe coming soon ❤️
veggie loaded turkey meatballs 🥕🥦🌿 • th veggie loaded turkey meatballs 🥕🥦🌿 • the ultimate make ahead meal prep recipe • life just got a little bit easier • meatballs may not be the most glamorous things you make in your kitchen, but they sure can be a lifesaver when life gets busy • make a big batch, freeze ’em, and simply reheat and eat when it’s time to get dinner on the table 🙌

recipe link in bio —> https://www.savorylotus.com/loaded-veggie-turkey-meatballs/
weekend dinner inspiration • NEW POST: LEMON HER weekend dinner inspiration • NEW POST: LEMON HERB SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN 🍋🌿 • spatchcock chicken is hands down the quickest + easiest way to cook a whole chicken • if you’ve never tried it, it’s a real game changer • the chicken comes out super moist on the inside and crispy on the outside • always a crowd pleaser 🙌 especially when you add the extra lemon herb pan sauce 

recipe link in bio:
https://www.savorylotus.com/lemon-herb-spatchcock-chicken/
how do you start your day? 💪🏃‍♀️🧘🏽‍♀️🚴🏽‍♂️☕️

mindset mindset mindset 🧠🧠• having a morning routine allows us to set an intention for the day rather then just letting the day run away from us • it helps determine our mind set and the tone for the rest of the day ✨✨

things like meditation, journaling, yoga, exercise, and other self-care practices can help us start the day feeling calm and inspired 🧘🏻 • consciously selecting the thoughts we have, the foods we eat , and the news/social media/images we see matters • a solid morning routine can reduce stress, boost energy, increase mental clarity, and leave us feeling 🤩

creating a morning routine looks different for us all • routine comes easier for some than others • we all have different priorities, time limits, physical needs/abilities, and health concerns there • are no rules • find what works for you 

i know that i feel better when i stick to my morning routine • i know that i feel better when i don’t engage with my phone or social media the first hour or two after waking up • i know i feel better when i consciously select what i bring into my head space first thing in the morning, including the thoughts that i have 

my morning routine currently looks like this:  10 minutes of quiet meditation, some form of elimination pathways opening like Gua Sha, coffee e nema, an epsom salts bath, or a sauna, yoga/workout, and a big green juice 🥬🥒🍏

👉👉 do you have a morning routine?  i’d love to hear how you start your day • leave me a comment below ⤵️⤵️
Load More... Follow Me!

Follow Me on Pinterest

Don't Miss These!

  • Everyday Gluten Free Bread (dairy free + egg free)
  • dry heels, cracked heels, how to heal, DIY Easy Home Remedy for Dry Cracked Heels
  • Simple Coconut Flour Cake (gluten free, grain free, nut free, paleo) | savorylotus.com Simple Coconut Flour Cake (gluten and grain free, paleo)
  • Simple Gluten Free Sourdough Bread

Clean Swaps

Clean Swaps

My Cookbook!

My Cookbook!

Footer

Get More Recipes on Pinterest

Visit Savory Lotus' profile on Pinterest.

Get More Recipes on Facebook

The Savory Lotus on Facebook

Stay Connected

Copyright © 2021 Savory Lotus    ·    Affiliate Disclosure     Disclaimer     Privacy Policy     Terms of Service