RAW VEGAN CARROT CAKE TRUFFLES

It seems all of the recipes I found online for these tasty dessert bites use medjool dates to sweeten and hold the ingredients together.  Do not misunderstand.  Medjool dates make many recipes sweet and creamy and delicious, but I don't want to use them because they are so high on the glycemic index (which means the sugar content is sky high). So I got out my food processor this morning and started experimenting. The finished product had to be completely legal on "The Advanced Plan," and delicious enough for everyone.  Here is the recipe.

Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup any nut you have on hand (walnuts, almonds, pecans)

4 small carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-3 inch pieces

1/4 cup hemp seeds

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup gently melted coconut oil

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 droppers full of liquid stevia (I used vanilla stevia, so I omitted the vanilla extract.)

Note:  If you really don't like stevia, use an amount of xylitol to achieve the same sweetness.  I would love to give you a measure, but I really don't like xylitol, so my experience with it is limited.  I can tell you that two droppers full of vanilla stevia is very sweet. Make this recipe your own by tasting and adjusting the sweetness as needed.

METHOD

Place all ingredients in a high powered food processor and process until fully combined.

Form mixture into 1 inch balls (bites) and roll in a little cinnamon or a bit more unsweetened shredded coconut.

Chill for a few hours or overnight.  You can freeze the chilled bites in an airtight container in the freezer for a few months, but I guarantee they won't last that long.

Recipe yields approximately 24 "bites."

FALL-OFF-THE-BONE DRY RUB CHICKEN WINGS

The incredible Kimberly Roberto has done it again. These wings are ridiculously easy to prepare and they turn out perfectly every time. What a great dish to take to an outdoor bar-b-que.  By the way, they are also delicious cold, (for breakfast. . . .yes, I did).
Enjoy.

4 pounds organic chicken wings

Dry Rub:

1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin

Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons organic butter
2 tablespoons reserved dry rub
1 (12-ounce) bottle hot pepper sauce (check ingredients) (I like "Franks")
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Combine all dry rub spices in a large bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture. Add the wings to bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lay all wings flat on the baking sheet and bake for an hour turning halfway through.

When the wings are almost done, melt the butter and then add other sauce ingredients.

When ready to serve, add the wings to a large serving bowl, pour sauce over the wings and toss.

Recipe modified from Guy Fieri