Gluten Free and Raw: Herbal Energy Balls from Raw Energy

The latest cookbook sweeping the nation isn’t a cookbook at all. It’s the newest "uncookbook," teaching Americans of all ages how to eat healthy and locally.

Author Stephanie Tourles is a licensed holistic aesthetician and a certified aromatherapist, with extensive training in the nutritional sciences. This winter she is traveling throughout the United States, promoting her latest book, Raw Energy, as she details 124 supercharging, raw-food recipes.

Most recently, Stephanie was at Whole Foods in Portland, Maine, where she spoke in front of a sold-out audience. All the recipes featured are wheat free, which means that for those who are gluten intolerant these dishes are for you!

Tourles strongly suggests using only local ingredients for healthy eating.

Herbal Energy Balls

Good things come in small packages, and these little guys do just that. These toothsome snacks are full of vigor-building nutrients and antioxidants. The gently stimulating herbs and spices combine with sweet, creamy, tart flavors to provide sustained energy in one bite-size snack. Herbalists recommend taking Siberian ginseng on a regular basis to increase stamina and endurance and restore vitality.

Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened coconut, finely shredded

1 cup raw almond butter

¾ cup unsweetened dried cranberries

½ cup raw honey

2 tablespoons Siberian ginseng root (eleuthero) powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Set aside ½ cup of the coconut in a shallow bowl for coating.

2. Put the remaining ½ cup coconut, almond butter, cranberries, honey, ginseng, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl, and stir well to blend. Use hands instead of a spoon to really knead the ingredients into a cohesive ball.

3. Pinch off pieces of the dough and form into balls about 1¼ inches in diameter. Roll each ball in the reserved coconut to coat.

4. For the best flavor and consistency, allow the balls to set for 24 hours before eating. Store the balls in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator, and consume within 2 to 3 weeks. They may be individually wrapped, using waxed paper or plastic wrap, and taken with you to enjoy as portable energy bites.

Yield: About 20 balls

Stephanie and Raw Energy will be at the Educational Alliance in New York City on February 9. For more information click here.