My dear friend Jo has spent the last two years weighed down chronic fatigue syndrome (and yet still managed to be a human dynamo, achieving the sorts of things it would take most of us forever to get through). There's a lot of quackery around CFS, but Jo has just discovered that adopting a low-carb, Atkins-style diet has had a dramatic effect on her health and she's looking forward to regaining some of her old bounce (look out!) Unfortunately though, this means no making her legendary rum balls or other examples of classic Australian baking. Well, she can make them, but if you can't eat them that seems horribly unfair. I'm no expert on low-carb anything, but I think I've come up with a reasonably safe substitute..
Almond Tofu Balls
This is my version of a recipe from Emma Galloway's My Darling Lemon Thyme - a truly beautiful blog with lovely recipes and wonderful photos. I made these with the Small Girl's help and she ate a LOT of the mixture while I couldn't decide whether to be pleased (all that protein!) or cross (fewer left for me!). I also tested these out on a vegetarian coeliac friend and she adored them.
Don't be scared off by the tofu - it makes for a lovely velvety texture. If you have a very sweet tooth (and are not Atkins-ing), add a little more honey or date syrup.
250g medium-firm tofu
1 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
3/4 cup prunes, diced small
2Tbsp date syrup
3Tbsp cocoa
1tsp real vanilla extract
1Tbsp tahini (or almond butter, or smooth peanut butter)
extra coconut, cocoa or sesame seeds for rolling
Rinse the tofu under cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Put into a bowl and mash well with a fork, then add all the other ingredients and mix well. (You could also do this in a food processor.) Roll generous teaspoonfuls into balls, then roll them in extra coconut, sifted cocoa or sesame seeds. Store in the fridge. Makes about 20, depending on how much of the mixture your helper eats.
Have a sweet, sweet weekend everyone. I'm planning to play with all my wonderful birthday loot!
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Hey Lucy, Happy birthday for the other day. Hope you are stretching out the royal birthday treatment for as long as possible (I believe one has a birthweek rather than birthday). And that chocolate cake looked frickin AMAZING! Have a fab weekend xx
ReplyDeleteThese look fantasitic - and I'd never dream you could make them out of tofu! I also have a few friends with special diets for different reasons, so perhaps this is one to save for when they need a birthday present or just a pick-me-up!
ReplyDeleteHey Lucy, so glad you tried these and loved them! They are one of my favs xx
ReplyDeleteOnce I saw the tahini in the ingredients list, I was sold :) They look delicious - I especially like the idea of the ones coated in sesame seeds!
ReplyDeleteYum! My little boy has quite a sweet tooth but his favourite food is tofu so it's a win-win for him!
ReplyDeleteTofu is so easy to amke at home..what I regularly do.And thsi is another great idea how to use it;)
ReplyDeleteThese sound wonderful - the tofu I get is usually *very* firm so I think I'd make them in the food processor. As with Millie Mirepoix, anything with tahini completely draws me in too!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog and awesome recipe. I love the simplicity. You should post the recipe over at 101usesfordatesyrup.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteI recently came across this blog (after making a successful batch of the apricot almond bikkies in frankie), and then the other night the salmon + soba noodle - and now these! Thanks for the inspiration and tasty, easy to make recipes.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have date syrup, but used treacle instead. It is probably missing some subtle flavour from the dates, but it has the sweetness still. YUM!