My current favorite snack is just two ingredients: dates and cashew butter.  That's it.  I discovered it in January when I chose to temporarily eliminate some foods from my diet so that my body could feel better.  Sure I enjoyed the sugar-laden desserts of the holidays and too much wine.  But between the overindulgence of the holidays and recovering from my second miscarriage, which happened in November, by January my body was asking, no it was begging for a break. 

I don't diet.  I don't cleanse or detox.  I do try to eat in a way that helps me thrive while living with an autoimmune disease.  I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease in February 1998.  For twenty years I have managed to live with one disease without developing another.  Research has shown that once you develop one autoimmune disease, you are much more likely to develop another.  One doctor told me I was 600 times more likely than someone who does not have autoimmunity.  

So in January, I eliminated some inflammatory foods, giving my body a chance to heal.  Out went dairy and alcohol and soy and legumes and sugar.   I am a snacker by nature and snacks were a real challenge until I happened upon this flavorful and nutritious combination of dates smeared with cashew butter.  The sweetness of the dates plus the creaminess of the cashew butter is incredibly delicious and incredibly satisfying.

Can I call this a recipe?  It feels more like a method so here is the method for this snack followed by the nutritional awesomeness it provides.

Dates with Cashew Butter
Serves 1

2 Medjool dates or 3 smaller dates such as Bahri or Deglet Noor
Cashew Butter

Remove the pit from the date and spread it flat.  Smear it with cashew butter.  Yum!

If you like dates, check out my recipe for date balls.  

Nutritional awesomeness:  Dates are loaded with anti-oxidants and other good for you vitamins and minerals, are considered low glycemic, and have a reputation for being the Viagra of Saudi Arabia (ahem and bada bing bada boom!).  If you want more information about the health benefits of dates, check out this article, and this one, and also this one.  The fat in cashew butter aids digestion.  You can read about the benefits of cashew butter here.  

​You can learn more about dates in this article.  

It's your turn!  What are some of your favorite two ingredient snacks?

Hello summer.  A heat wave is coming.  It will be so hot we've cancelled our plans to go camping.  It's too hot to camp.  Thoughts turn to cold, frozen, icy, cool, and anything that distracts from the heat that is coming.  It's too hot to go outside.  It's too hot to go to the store.  I want something cold and delicious and refreshing.  Don't you?  You know you do!  

This super easy and quick frozen yogurt is what you want.  You likely have all the ingredients on hand:  yogurt, frozen fruit, sugar, and lemons or limes.  The only equipment you need is a food processor.  In 10 minutes or less, cold and creamy satisfaction can be yours.

This recipe was inspired by one published in Food & Wine magazine a decade ago. Created by Ferran Adria using strawberries, I've played with it a bit as the original had too much sugar for my liking and not enough acid.  I present the mango version here.  Scroll to the end of this post for the Strawberry Frozen Yogurt variation.  

10-Minute Mango Frozen Yogurt
Makes 3-4 cups

1 pound frozen mango chunks, broken up if clumped together
5 ounces whole fat yogurt (Greek is fine), unsweetened
1/4 cup sugar (I prefer organic cane sugar)​
One lime, cut into wedges

Equipment:  7-cup capacity food processor (or larger)

Set up your food processor with the blade attachment.  Into the processor bowl add the mango chunks, yogurt, and sugar.  Process for two minutes.  Scrape down sides and stir around any chunks that have clumped together or are not broken down.  Process until smooth.  May require up to five minutes of processing.  

Serve immediately with lime wedges.  Encourage eaters to squeeze fresh lime over the frozen yogurt to added a much needed and quite enjoyable zing!

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three days.  Though, it won't be as good as when it is first made.  

Strawberry Variation:
Substitute one pound of frozen strawberries for the frozen mango chunks.  Instead of lime wedges, cut one lemon into wedges to be squeezed over the Strawberry Frozen Yogurt.  

I was sitting at a neighborhood block party across from a tatted dude who was munching on one of my balls.  He was really enjoying it so I decided that was a good time to tell him that the dessert I brought was raw, vegan, and Paleo.  "Really," he said, his mouth full of sweet, salty goodness, "I thought it was cookie dough!"  No, I don't follow any of those eating regimens.  I just know a good recipe when I find one.  And this one is so good!  I've had a lot of social gatherings lately where I either wanted to share love through food or was tasked with bringing a dessert.  Either way, these balls, nicknamed Debs by my cousin (date energy balls) deliver!  They are immensely satisfying, especially for your sweet tooth despite having no added sugar.  It's a treat you can feel good about eating and giving to your kids and sharing with your friends!  And dear goodness are they easy to make.  Do I hear a hallelujah?!

So there are lots of recipes on the web for date balls and such.  However, some were too salty.  Others had way too much coconut oil in them (my hands were very soft after rolling those).  This recipe represents my happy medium.  It has enough salt to create the cookie dough effect without making you desert thirsty.  There's enough coconut oil to bind them together without creating a mess or an unpleasant mouthfeel.  

Just know there are some variations and is some room to play here and have fun.  You could roll them in cacao.  You could embed a high quality very dark chocolate chip in the middle as a delicious (and full of antioxidants) surprise.  You could coat them in unsweetened toasted coconut.  

Little Debs
Makes 24-27 balls of goodness

2 cups whole Medjool dates, not pitted (available at Trader Joe's and sometimes Costco)
2 cups pecan pieces (or almonds or walnuts)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (you can find an organic version at Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons organic virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (check the label to make sure it's gluten free)
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Equipment:  7-cup capacity or larger food processor, baking sheet (that you can put in the freezer)

This is where I tell you to measure the whole dates in a two cup liquid measuring cup (like this one).  Normally, you would never measure a dry ingredient in a liquid cup, but in this case it led to the best outcome in recipe testing.  It can be slightly above the 2-cup line.  Then pit the dates and remove the small disk at the top of the date that is not good eats.   Set aside.

Fit your food processor with the S-blade.  Add the pecans and coconut to the food processor.  Pulse in 10 second bursts until they are fine crumbs but not nut butter.  Add the remaining ingredients and process until a sticky dough forms. Transfer the dough into a bowl as it's easier to work from a bowl than the food processor itself.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using a tablespoon, place a heaping scoop of dough in your hand.  Roll into a ball and place on the baking sheet.  Repeat until you have used all the dough.  You'll have five rows of five balls or six rows of four balls, etc.

If you are going to coat the balls in cacao or coconut, do that now before the next step.​

Create a flat space in your freezer, and freeze the balls for one hour.  From here, I like to put the balls in candy wrappers, and store either in the refrigerator or in the freezer.   They'll keep in the fridge for up to one week or in your freezer for one month.  

Nutritional awesomeness:  ​Dates are loaded with anti-oxidants and other good for you vitamins and minerals, are considered low glycemic, and have a reputation for being the Viagra of Saudi Arabia (ahem and bada bing bada boom!).  If you want more information about the health benefits of dates, check out this article, and this one, and also this one.  Coconut is an excellent source of manganese.  Coconut oil is anti-viral and raises your good cholesterol (HDL).  However, use in moderation because it can also raise your bad cholesterol (LDL).