Recipe developed by Dr. Beth Livengood
Who doesn’t love cake, and for that matter, anything dipped in chocolate? Chocolate is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. But more often than not, it is rich in dairy, which can cause GI issues in those with compromised digestive tracts.
Living Wellness naturopathic doctor Dr. Beth Livengood was kind enough to share her birthday treat with our Living Wellness community. These are gluten-free, paleo-friendly, vegan-adaptable, raw “Red Velvet Cake Balls,” sweetened and colored naturally. There are no artificial food dyes, food colorings, or sugars. Do you have a co-worker’s birthday coming up? Perhaps you were invited to a BBQ and are looking for a tasty dessert to share? These cake balls will please everyone, regardless of whether they eat gluten and dairy-free foods.
Enjoy a few of these this weekend, friends! And thank you, Dr. Livengood, for spreading the wealth!
Ingredients
- 1 medium beet, peeled and quartered
- 2 cups almonds
- 2 cups dried, unsweetened coconut
- 2 tablespoons chia or hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ tsp Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar (or plain balsamic vinegar)
- 8 oz dark chocolate squares or 8 small dark chocolate truffles (use vegan dark chocolate to make dairy-free)
- 1 tbsp organic butter (sub 1 tbsp coconut oil to make dairy-free)
- 1 ½ cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes
Directions
- Place almonds in a high-speed blender or food processor, and blend until finely ground. You should have a very fine almond meal. Be careful not to go too far, or you will start to make almond butter!
- Place almond meal in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Place dried coconut in a high-speed blender or food processor, and blend into a fine powder. Add to the almond meal in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Add chia (or hemp) seeds and cacao powder. Stir to combine.
- Place beets in a high-speed blender or food processor and pulse until very finely chopped.
- Add beets, maple syrup, and vinegar to the dry mixture. Stir to combine.
- Form into 1- inch balls, rolling well to compact the dough. Place cake balls on a cookie sheet.
- Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes to chill.
- While the cake balls are in the freezer, melt the dark chocolates and butter over low heat, stirring frequently.
- Process the last 1 ½ cup of coconut flakes in the blender or food processor into small flakes. Do not make a powder.
- When the chocolate is smooth, and the cake balls are cold, roll each ball in a spoonful of chocolate, using a toothpick to hold it. Roll in coconut flakes and cool on the cookie sheet.
- Enjoy one (or two) and share a few with a friend.
If You’re Looking for Ways to Incorporate Fiber Into Your Diet, Then Check Out Our Free for the Love of Fiber Guide.
