Buckeye Balls with a Twist

Buckeye Balls with a Twist

One of our favorite family Christmas treats is buckeye balls. I've tweaked the recipe to make it a little more nutritious than the recipe I used before I switched to a real food eating plan to help my fibromyalgia symptoms. Check out the blog post from December 9, 5 Ways to Make Christmas Treats Healthier, for more info on surviving the holidays without wrecking your healthy eating plan. 

I used to use peanut butter to make these. Many commercially produced peanut butter brands contain added ingredients other than peanuts. Here is the label from one popular brand of peanut butter:

INGREDIENTS: ROASTED PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS*, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE*, SUGAR, LESS THAN 2% OF: HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (COTTONSEED AND RAPESEED), SALT, MINERALS (MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ZINC OXIDE, IRON PHOSPHATE, COPPER SULFATE) AND VITAMINS (NIACIN, VITAMIN B6, FOLIC ACID). CONTAINS: PEANUTS, SOY.

If you love peanut butter, try one of the natural brands that has only two ingredients: peanuts and a dash of salt. The texture may take a little getting used to because it's coarser than commercial brands that have added chemicals to produce smoothness. The flavor is a lot more robust. You can taste the peanuts. You have to stir the peanut butter to incorporate the oil because there are no chemicals to do this for you. Refrigerate the peanut butter after you stir it and the oil will not separate out again.

I prefer to use almond butter because it has more nutritional value than peanut butter.Almond butter contains omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, niacin, folate, calcium, iron, riboflavin, manganese, and other healthy minerals. Look for an organic brand that contains fewer than five ingredients. 

Christmas treats are one of the few things I make that sometimes contain ingredients I don't normally use on a daily basis. This recipe contains confectioner sugar, which is a more refined sugar than I normally use, and graham cracker crumbs, which contain two of the red flag ingredients I normally avoid: high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated fat. You can purchase organic graham crackers that do not contain these two ingredients at a health food store like Earth Fare, Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods Marketplace. Or you can use regular graham crackers from your local supermarket and make sure you stick to the 90%/10% real food eating guide.

The rule of thumb I have set for myself is to eat whole real food 90% to 95% of the time. That gives me a 5% to 10% margin to cover occasions like eating out when I may not know what restaurants include in their recipes and to enjoy special treats during the Christmas holidays. The secret for me is to make sure I continue to eat a healthy diet during the holidays, to eat only one or two Christmas cookies and treats after a healthy meal to minimize my exposure to less healthy ingredients, and to add a few nutritious ingredients to everything I make.This is a practical plan that allows me to make holiday treats for my family and friends and indulge a little myself. I don't feel deprived and I don't destroy my overall eating plan.


Buckeye Balls with a Twist

You can make these in the traditional buckeye ball shape or plop them in a pan for a quicker version that is just as delicious as the original. I'll share how to make them both ways.

Put into a large mixing bowl:

1 c almond butter
1 c graham cracker crumbs
1 box of confectioner sugar
2 packets of travel size milled flaxseed and chia seed combo. If you can't find the box that contains the flaxseed/chia combo, use plain milled flaxseed.

Melt: 
1/3 c butter, or butter substitute if you want these to be dairy free
1/3 c organic coconut oil

Add to the dry ingredients:
The melted butter and coconut oil
1 tsp.of pure vanilla extract

Mix thoroughly. I start by stirring this with a large spoon and then use my hands to completely incorporate all of the ingredients. Mix until you have a smooth ball of dough. Note:The amount of oil in the almond butter can vary depending on the brand you use. Pinch off a bit of dough and roll it into a ball. If it seems to be a little dry and crumbly and doesn't form easily into a ball, add a little more melted butter and coconut oil. If it seems to be too sticky, add a few more graham cracker crumbs.

For traditional buckeye shaped balls do this.

Line a cookie sheet with a piece of wax paper.
Pinch off 1 T of dough at a time and roll into a ball.
Place the balls of dough on the cookie sheet.
Stick a toothpick into each dough ball.
Put the pan in the freezer for at least one hour to chill the dough.

In the top of a double boiler melt:
1 bag of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. I like this brand because it is gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, soy free. and non GMO. 
2 T of organic coconut oil
Keep the chocolate mixture over warm water while you dip the balls.

Use the toothpick as a handle to dip the bottom half of each ball into the melted chocolate.
Place the balls back on the cookie sheet to cool.
Remove the toothpicks

Don't have time to roll and dip all those little balls? For a quicker version do this.

Place the dough mixture in a 9" x 13" pan.
Use your hands to press the dough into an even layer.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the dough.
Use a knife or spatula to smooth the chocolate to the edges of the pan.
Put the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least thirty minutes.
Slice into small finger size bars and serve.

Want to stay connected?

Like my Facebook page: Practical Healing in a Toxic World  to find lots of practical ways to move toward a healthy life.The page has recipes, tips on chemical free living, fibromyalgia facts, and spiritual encouragement. 

Follow me on Twitter  @KathyKNorman

Check out my Pinterest boards KathyKNorman3