DIY healthy truffles with aromatic CHAI herbs

It's a busy life!  When possible, I love to experiment with (and love to make) combinations of herbs n' spices to enhance our food!  I love home-crafted condiments, herb-infused meals + easy to make healthy treats! I've been working a lot with cardamom, this month....It's the 'herb of the month' over at HerbGals
Cardamom is a delightful herb to know! It pairs so well with ginger, cinnamon, cloves -- all very warming herbs. I hope you'll enjoy this fun DIY healthy truffles idea, which is more of a template than a true recipe as it's a guideline -- which is delightful as is, or can be made 'your own' by including additional ingredients!

DIY Healthy Truffles with aromatic 'Chai Herbs'

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DIY Truffles

Easy to make + very tasty! A favourite in my home for sure!

Ingredients

• 4 bags of black tea your choice of black or other tea!
• 1 can coconut milk i prefer full fat
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds removed from pods
• 3 Cinnamon sticks
• ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon powder
• ½ teaspoon Ginger root powder
• 2 Star anise
• 1 tablespoon cloves whole
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 6 Medjool dates softened, chopped finely
• 10-12 oz of good quality chocolate unsweetened preferred **
• This week I added ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, grated

Instructions

1. IF using dates, prepare them by allow them to sit in a small bowl covered with a couple of cups of just boiled water to soften them
2. I like to lightly toast the herbs.. lightly! Put cardamom, cinnamon, anise + cloves into a pan... on low heat.. stir gently for a minute or 2.
3. Add the ginger powder, the coconut oil, coconut milk, tea + the toasted herbs all together in a pot + stir to combine.
4. Bring the mixture to a quick boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
5. Strain the mixture with a fine sieve + then pour back into the same pot on low heat.
6. Add the chocolate into the mixture and allow to melt slowly (still on low heat)
7. Add the chopped dates + stir into the mixture.
8. Add maple syrup if desired after the chocolate has fully melted.
9. Transfer the entire concoction into a bowl + place in the fridge for 4 hours (or overnight)
10. Using a teaspoon, scoop out a small portion of the mixture, roll into a ball with your hands + repeat.
11. I like to put the balls on a small baking sheet, and place back in the fridge for an hour to solidify.
12. Best to store in the fridge and enjoy within a month!  Delightful.

Recipe Notes

Other add-ons I've used:  ¼ cup sunflower seeds, chia seeds, chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc or “hemp hearts“.
Add dates, raisins, dried cranberries, or other good quality dried fruits, finely chopped.
Dried berries too.. High in anti-oxidants, these can make a tasty + are a nutritious add-on.
your fave powdered herbs like allspice too, are wonderful!
Desiccated coconut or cocoa powders are often my choice for rolling, after balls are formed.
I’ve used finely chopped nuts or chia, sesame or sunflower seeds too.

Note: if using regular good quality chocolate, use fewer dates. If we use unsweetened chocolate, the 6 Medjool dates are perfect!

** Lots of options for chocolate here.. Cocoa can work -- and I've also made this recipe with a delicious dark chocolate like
this one (affiliate Amazon link) to give you an idea..

Truly with all the possibilities for these 'no bake' delights! These DIY truffles offer a warming aromatic flavour note + the add-ons I've mentioned are just some of the many ways we can customize these treats.  It may seem like a lot of ingredients + many steps but it comes together quickly!

I have written about herb-infused treats before -- and I'd like to share them with you. Many years ago, my friend + mentor, Rosemary Gladstar, taught me about the joys of creating 'zoom balls' for ourselves, friends + family. Here's a link to these special no bakes..  I've also written up another recipe devoted to our own mental health -- I call them calming bliss balls.. and here's the link. They are also delicious!!

I mentioned that we are studying Cardamom in my monthly herbal membership group. Cardamom is a very special plant medicine + quite addictive when we begin to experiment with it! I'll eventually devote a post just to Cardamom so share more, but suffice to say, if you don't know this special plant friend, try missy Cardamom!!

Here's to our health. Here's to peace + good health + delicious nutritious treats for us all!!        Carol xo