Thank Bananas it's Friday - dairy free

I'm Bananas about Bananas

My 1 year mission to make as many meals and recipes using my favourite fruit the banana.

Thank Bananas it's Friday, I'm not working this weekend.  Instead my weekend is going to be filled with family fun.  What could be better xxx

Raw coffee banana cake pops

This is one of my own recipes.  I get cravings for sugary foods like any other individual.  However it does not agree with my IBS, as too much sugar is one of my triggers.  I discovered this recipe for Date and Cocoa Raw truffles while surfing the Internet looking for healthy snack ideas.  

Its now become my base recipe for my own date truffles, you can customise them any way you want.

- Ground Almonds

- Desiccated coconut

- Rolled Oats

- Muesli

Last time I made a breakfast truffle with muesli, dates and bananas.  This time I went a bit more grown up, by using coffee.   

Note: I make mine slightly different, I find soaking the dates makes them easier to puree.  

Sharabelles raw date truffles

1 Cup Dates

1 Cups Rolled Oats

1/2 Banana Mashed

1 tsp Coffee granules 

1/3 Cup boiled water

- Cut the dates in half, this helps them break down more easily and also makes sure there are no stray stones.

- Mix the coffee granules with the boiled water and pour over the dates.  Leave to soak for 2 - 3 hours or overnight.

- Blend the dates to a thick syrup with a hand held blender.  

- Mix in the mashed banana and rolled oats.  

- I used a Silicon cake pop mould to form mine.  I spoon the mix in to each side and used the back of a spoon the push it in firmly.  

-  Chill for 1 hour in the fridge, this allows the rolled oats to firm up.  Remove from mould and roll to bond the 2 sides together.  

- If you don't have a mould just chill in the fridge for 1 hour, then roll into walnut size balls.  

- You can leave as is and serve as truffles or push in lollipop sticks to turn them into cake pops. 

These are great frozen in freezer bags or in an airtight container. I always have a stash on hand for when I get the munchies.  The truffles/cake pops only take 5 - 10 Min's to defrost.   

Taste test:

Coffee pairs really well with the banana and the toffee taste of the dried dates.  Turning them into raw cake pops, just makes them more fun to eat.  

To make extra special Cover in dairy free chocolate.  Freezing first helps stops them falling apart when you dip them into the chocolate.  The cake pop stick makes it easy to dip them in the chocolate.  

Only a few more weeks to go for my Banana Project.

  I have so many more recipes to try and so little time.......