Meet the magical Adaptogen Coconut Cacao Bliss Ball with Reishi & He Shou Wu. I wasn’t always a lover of the so-called “bliss ball”. The one’s I had to be unpleasantly sweet and sticky and chunky, a poor substitute for my sweet vices (namely Haribo gummis of all kinds…). But I couldn’t shake the idea of pretty little balls of energy filled with nutritional bliss. I shelved the idea for ages, but since I started making my own coconut milk for my coconut matcha lattes, I’ve found myself in possession of a lot of coconut pulp that I can’t bring myself to toss. I really wanted to call them Calming Immortality Beauty Bliss Balls. But that’s a bit over the top. And “balls” kinda makes everything funny. Calming Immortality Beauty Bliss Truffles? Eh, we’ll stick with adaptogen coconut cacao bliss balls. Read on to learn more about the magic ingredients!
I make raw vegan chocolate truffles (a luxurious, addictive cousin of the bliss ball), and my surplus of coconut pulp + my vegan truffle recipe + my passion for adaptogens & tonic herbs came together to form the inspiration for this ethereal recipe for adaptogen coconut cacao bliss balls. These are legit magic! They’re truly the best of both worlds: delicious + life-giving. Oh right, aaaand they’re insanely easy to throw together! Clutch.
So, theses contain reishi mushroom powder and he shou wu. Let’s just start by saying if you’re like “he did what?”, these ingredients are super simple to procure online—you can get them all on Amazon! BUT if you don’t have the time, money, or interest….just leave them out!
These are still awesome without the more esoteric ingredients. I think they add the extra magic, but they’re by no means a deal breaker. So don’t let them put you off this recipe for adaptogen coconut cacao bliss balls! If all you can get your hands on is almonds, dates, and coconut flakes, you’re well on your way to making these decadent adaptogen coconut cacao bliss balls—they’re snack time heroes. Eula, at 17 months old, loves them!
That said, if you do decide to dive in and give the adaptogens a try or you’re already a die hard herbal believer, let’s talk a little bit about those two ingredients. First off…
These are both herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries. In TCM herbs are classified as either yin (spirit, feminine, cooling, watery, calming), yang (physical, masculine, warm, earthy, energizing), or balanced meaning they’re more towards the middle. Both of these are yin herbs, though reishi leans more towards the middle. They’re also both classed as “adaptogenic herbs”, which simply means they help the body deal with the negative effects of stress if taken consistently over time. For the full benefit of adaptogens, it’s best to take a dose daily. You can find a primer we did on adaptogens here.
Reishi Mushroom
Benefits:
A yin herb nicknamed the “King of Mushrooms”, this medicinal mushroom is associated with spiritual power and immortality, and it’s linked to success, well-being, divine power, and longevity. It’s antioxidant, mood supporting (a great addition if you suffer from anxiety or depression), immune supporting, histamine reducing (good if you have allergies), supports heart health, anticarcinogenic (helps prevent cancer), promotes healthy sleep, promotes liver & kidney health, aids brain function, and maintains gut health. ‘Nuf said.
He Shou Wu
Benefits:
This mysterious Chinese herb, also known as Fo-Ti, is especially known for it’s anti-aging properties, the name literally translates to “old black haired”, a reference to a legend of a man taking he shou wu and his hair turning from grey back to black. It’s a powerful antioxidant that promotes longevity as well as a known aphrodisiac. We’ll call it relationship promoting, yeah? Okay! It’s also blood toning, anti-inflammatory, stress reducing (as adaptogens generally are), As a strong yin herb it’s also been said to promote spiritual receptiveness, creativity, and inspiration making it a great choice for mystics and artists. If you’re a mystic artist…then this is definitely an herb you should add to your pantry!
Adaptogen Coconut Cacao Bliss Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted almonds
- 1 1/2 cups coconut pulp leftover from making coconut milk, can sub almond pulp or other nut pulp
- 1 cup 130 grams of pitted Medjool dates
- 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil melted at room temp
- 1 tablespoon reishi powder optional, can sub adaptogen of choice or omit
- 1 tablespoon he shou wu optional, can sub adaptogen of choice or omit
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt
- optional toppings: crushed freeze dried raspberries my fave!, pistachios, rose petals, flaky salt, dark chocolate, cacao powder, coconut dust, toasted coconut flakes, bee pollen
Instructions
- Throw the almonds into a Vitamix, blender, or food processor. All will work, though I prefer the Vitamix. Pulse on medium speed about five times to chop them roughly, and then add the rest of the ingredients.
- Pulse on medium another five times to bring it all together, using the tamper to help if using a Vitamix or blender, and then blend on high, mixing well with the tamper as you blend, briefly until combined. I usually turn it off to give the blender a rest, and then give it one more good go. Having a few almond chunks is normal (and yummy!)
- Scrape into a bowl and chill for about 30 minutes before forming into balls. Using your hands, form into balls. I used heaping tablespoon sized portions.
- To finish, dust with fun stuff like toasted coconut, bee pollen, cacao nibs, flower petals, crushed freeze dried raspberries, and flaky salt. You can even dip them in melted dark chocolate for an extra indulgent treat. My favorite by far is rolling them in the crushed freeze dried raspberries! Store covered in the fridge for up to one week.
