For many of us, the holidays are an excuse to eat whatever we want and how much we want. Rituals, traditions, family agreements all suggest that this is freedom. I was once of that understanding, too. When I moved away from home and was in charge of my life, it felt like freedom to eat what ever I felt like (even foods that didn’t do me good).
I’ve come to realize it is actually not true freedom. Myra Lewin once said something that stayed with me. She said, “This kind of thinking comes from a misunderstanding that what is outside of us brings us happiness and joy.”
For me this is so true. I used food to cover up emotions, feel in control and for comfort. The moments of pleasure were enough to do it again and again. With time I came to realize this is not the way to go for me. I want to make conscious decisions that bring long-term joy and sattva (sweetness), not short-lived pleasure.
We have peace, joy and freedom already. Sometimes we just have to hold up for a bit and stop, listen and realize it’s right there. True freedom to me is making the choices I want to, while feeling good and being healthy, all the time.
These bliss balls are a great option for something delicious that meets my new definition of freedom. They satisfy me, ground me and are easy to digest if you chew well and pan fry the nuts and oats lightly.
Enjoy your true freedom, and blissful holidays!
Bliss balls
Makes 12-15
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Augmenting and extractive
You'll need
1 cup ground oats (we use steel cut oats that have been freshly flocked/cut. You could also put in a powerful blender and coarsely grind)
1 Tbsp. ghee
3 cups pitted dates
1 cup your choice of chopped nuts (Blend half of the nuts to a fine flower if you prefer them less crunchy.)
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground ginger
Carob powder for rolling
Here's how
Melt the ghee in a pan and add oats. Pan roast until lightly browned. In a small bowl, mash the pitted dates together with your hands.
Place your combination of nuts in a dry pan and roast until lightly toasted. This will help with the digestion of the bliss balls.
Place the oats and nuts in the bowl with the mashed dates and add the cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. Using your hands, mash everything together until well mixed. Roll into small balls.
Fill two drinking glasses or bowls with a bit of carob powder. Roll the balls around to get covered.
Keep them in the fridge, but serve at room temperature.
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