Carrot Dessert Bites

So sweet and innocent looking, but packed with nutrition!

Try these dessert bites for your next work potluck. That's what I did. People will be shocked to learn that they are gluten free, mostly raw, have no processed sugar, and contain a vegetable!

Can you believe these are ALL the ingredients for this recipe? No cake mix or cups of sugar needed.

Carrot Dessert Bites
Makes 20+ balls

4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (about ¾ cup)
1 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup raw cashews
7-8 large dates, pitted
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
Zest of one orange
Unsweetened shredded coconut, for rolling

In a food processor fitted with the S-blade, process carrots until finely ground. Remove and set aside.

Process the walnuts and cashews in the food processor until finely ground. Add the dates and process until finely chopped and incorporated into the nuts scraping the sides occasionally. Add the carrots, ginger, cinnamon, and orange zest (if using) and process until dough forms.

Shape the mixture into small balls. Roll in shredded coconut to coat. Refrigertate. Serve like cookies. 

Modified from original recipe written by Hallie at dailybitesblog.com

Try This Comfort Food: Fried Rice

What would it look like if we changed our idea of what "comfort food" means? For me comfort food is usually a warm, rich, stick-to-your-bones kind of meal. Toss out the fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. Those foods can be delicious, but very nutritionally limited. Here is a warm rich comfort food kind of meal that is also full of whole grains, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. Feed your body and your soul!

Fried Rice

2-3 cups Cooked Brown Rice
2 Eggs
1 Bunch of Bok Choy, chopped
2-3 Carrots, cut into match sticks
2 Red and Yellow Peppers
1 Onion, thinly sliced
5-6 Shiitaki Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of snap peas
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
Peanut Oil for Sauteing
Soy Sauce
Soy Sprouts (to top your dish)

Use your biggest frying pan, or a wok if you have one. Scramble and fry your eggs in a tiny pit of peanut oil, remove from pan, chop into small pieces and set aside. Add more peanut oil and cook onions until translucent, add in garlic, ginger, and all of the other vegetables except for the bok choy and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes (they should still be a little crisp). Stir in rice and heat through if it came from the fridge. Return the eggs to the mixture. Add in the bok choy, mushrooms, and stir in some soy sauce. Once everything is combined and cooked to your liking, scoop into dishes and top with soy sprouts or scallions. Enjoy!