If I could indulge in chocolate treats all day, I would. The problem is that the majority of chocolate out there goes against my own principles of a sugar-free lifestyle. It truly is unfair that chocolate doesn’t have the same nutritional value as a beetroot! But then again, life isn’t always fair — so I’ve learned to adapt so that I can have my sugar-free cake, and eat it too.
With the holiday season coming up, it would be ridiculous to exclude all chocolate from the equation (think about how the children would react!). Thankfully, I have a solution to get my chocolate fix: carob powder
Carob powder is commonly used as a substitute for cocoa powder. The powder is derived from grinding up the pods of carob trees. I know it sounds strange, but if you haven’t used carob powder before, your life is about to change. Why will it change your life? Because carob powder is sugar and gluten free! Now you can have chocolate tasting treats, without any of the negative components.
Now that I have helped some of you discover one of the world’s greatest secrets, I also have a suggestion for how to use it:
Gluten & Sugar-Free Carob Snack Drops
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 cup cashews4 tablespoons carob-powder1/2 cup coconut flower2 teaspoons pine nuts2 teaspoons xylitol (can be excluded)1/4 cup water (or orange juice)7oz dates
Preparation
1. Grind all the nuts using a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients into the processor and mix until a dough has formed.
2. Remove the dough and start to roll them into ball shapes. Feel free to roll the balls in any leftover (or extra) carob powder, coconut flour and ground nuts.
3. Store them between 2 cookie sheets in a snack tin of your choice. Refrigerate them and they can last for two weeks as well as letting the chill enhance the flavor.
Honestly, these delicious treats are perfect to nibble on throughout the holidays. If you’re having guests over, serve them as a side to some chai tea. If the weather is bringing you down, take a moment for yourself and enjoy a delicious (yet healthy!) pick-me-up. If you don’t have any cookies to give to Santa this year, leave some drops next to the stockings; from the looks of it, some sugar-free treats would do him good.
If you are looking for more sugar-free recipes that don’t sacrifice taste, feel free to peruse my collection of goodies here.
Photo courtesy of the author
