5- MINUTE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN MACAROONS

Yes, it is true, I tried it! A great holiday treat done in just 5 min.   The PUMPKIN BUTTER TRUFFLES  were fast, but these are a real breeze to make. I found this recipe in the Civilized Caveman blog on raw Paleo cooking, and I gave it a try right away, to see if it really takes 5 minutes. Ok, may be it took 10... But they really are a perfect delight and ready to bring to any party and be the health treat quin of the night- gluten free, sugar free and totally delicious! 

I changed the recipe a bit, but if you are interested in the original, here is the link: Civilized Caveman

Here it goes:  Ingredients:
              .1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
              .1/4 cup crushed pecans or almond flower 
              .1/4 cup cocoa powder
              .1/4 cup pumpkin puree
              .1-2 tablespoons xilitol(or your sweetener)
              .2 tablespoons coconut oil-melted 
              .1 teaspoon vanilla
              .pinch of salt
              .squirt of lemon


Instructions: 

1. Combine coconut, pecans (almond flower), cocoa powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, mix well  
2.Add pumpkin puree, xylitol, coconut oil,vanilla and lemon juice, and stir until well incorporated.
3.With 2 spoons or scoops create the rounded balls and put on a plate or cookie sheet. 
4.Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes to solidify.
5. Store in the freezer or refrigerator till it's time to serve or take with you. 

Great to take to any party!...

I took it a bit further and made
 some melted chocolate to top 
them with after taking them from 
the freezer -just melted 2 squares
of unsweetened chocolate and a 
spoon of CACAO BUTTER in a 
double boiler and dripped on top 
(you can use any chocolate chips 
or chocolate of your choice). 
They can also be sprinkled
with coconut flakes.

Cacao butter 

       

NOTES:

-I recently discovered CACAO BUTTER and it has become my 

absolute favorite. You can add it to any recipe that calls for 

coconut oil or regular butter. And if you love chocolate

the cacao butter gives a chocolaty taste to anything, without 

the chocolate. When you do use make sure it is melted in a 

double boiler and careful not to burn in-- it is hard even at room 

temperature but it melts at 93 F.

-if you add 1.5 times the doze from the recipe it makes for 12 large macaroons. 

ENJOY!

P.S. Just attaching one more image of the new batch of macaroons I made, this time sprinkled with gluten free, sugar free and diary free white chocolate. The idea came when I offered my friend a macaroon and she refused it because of the trace of milk in the chocolate frosting of my first batch. She had started a Christmas lent and was o a vegan diet. I wondered how to resemble a real white chocolate and I was so surprised when this came out and it was so good! I am going to post another post on how to make it-it consists of only 2 ingredients- cacao butter and xylitol-that is all! It really makes up for a wonderful frosting of any desert or cake, which I am going to try soon! 

PUMPKIN BUTTER TRUFFLES

     It is pumpkin time and this is so good!!
I love this time of year and all the delicious things that you can make out of pumpkin. Here I am starting a little pumpkin series. I love pumpkin, but this year I have to adjust my recipes to be gluten free, sugar free and still totally delicious. 

     I started with this one just on a whim.It was included in one of the web-sites where I get my COCONUT OIL  and other gluten-free products.Above is a link to the basic recipe, and below fallows my interpretation of it-the recipe is really suitable to use what you have and adjust it to your own taste. 
Here is what I used:

Ingredients:

.1 cup pumpkin puree 
.1/4 cup Coconut oil
.1 tablespoon Tahini-sesame butter (this can be substituted for any seed or nut butter of your choice-almond, sunflower, walnut etc.)
.1 tablespoon coconut cream concentrate-this is dried coconut flesh; can be substituted with more of your seed or nut butters. 
.1/4 cup Mesquite powder (you know I love this powder by now, because of it's great caramel taste and natural sweetness; can be substituted for coconut flower,Almond flower/meal, or some other protein powder that you have on hand) 
.1/2 cup crushed walnuts 
.1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
.1/4 teaspoon nutmeg,clove or pumpkin spice (pick your favorite) 
.juice of 1/2 lemon
.pinch of see salt
.sweetener of your choice - I used xylitol,but Maple syrup would be great, if you do consume sugar. 
.1 teaspoon of ghee, or regular butter- (optional;I just love things buttery)

For the chocolate:

. 1/2 cup cacaa butter (love this but coconut oil can be used)
. 1/2 cup cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips
Notes: Leave some crushed walnuts and chocolate chips or nibs for garnish after dipping into the chocolate. This makes for a great assorted truffles. 

Love the cacao butter for the chocolate 

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients (except the ones for the chocolate) in a large mixing ball.Melt the coconut oil in a double boiler before combining it. Mixture should be firm, so you can make it into balls.If runny, add some more of your flower or protein powder.

The way I rolled the balls was by dipping my hands in water between each one-they became smooth and non-sticky. 
Another way to do it is by placing the mixture in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to get firm and then make the balls. Another way is to just spoon them out- that makes for some rough texture, if you prefer. 

Before going in the freezer

Place the pumpkin butter balls in the freezer for at least 20 minutes or longer. 
In a mean time add the cacao butter/coconut oil and chocolate chips/nibs in a small mixing ball, placed in another  small pan of boiling water-double boiler-to get the chocolate chips and butter to melt without burning.Once melted, turn down the simmer. Get your butter balls out of the freezer and with a spoon start dipping and rolling each one in the chocolate mixture. Then place them back on the non-stick baking pan or cookie sheet.Put the truffles back in the freezer for 30 minutes then move to the refrigerator till they are ready to serve. 

               

NOTES:

-To make assorted truffles I simply dipped some of the butter balls only in cacao butter first; then I rolled some in the dark chocolate chips and others into crushed walnuts.At the end I dripped the left over melted chocolate over the balls and rolled some of them into the cacao nibs.Glossier or nuttier, they can satisfy any taste.
-Another way to add texture is to use some rice, quinoa or other  puffs in the mixture or on top. You can make them as plain or as sophisticated as you like.
-If you are missing ingredients you can easily skip or substitute them-the nut butters can be skipped, the walnuts substituted with other nuts,the mesquite powder can be skipped, too. 

ENJOY!!