I created this recipe as I was staring at the ceiling one night. I had just finished a handful of a new berry that I brought to my bedside while doing my last emails. They certainly reminded me of something, a familiar taste memory…..
Hmmmm, what IS that reminiscent of??
I know! That grape jelly I grew up with!
Oh, how I missed those peanut butter sandwiches : ( I don’t eat peanut butter anymore (I mean, it’s not even a nut!) and I certainly don’t eat grape jelly….hmmmm, Wait! Ah ha! Sunflower seed butter is pretty close to peanut butter, sans the mold. Then my mind really started going and this recipe was born.
Great for kids or to serve to friends. You can skip the topping and throw it in a baggie for an on the go snack. They can be kept in the freezer or the fridge. They’ll stay together much better if cold and should just need a little thawing before eaten if frozen. The below recipe is for a small batch, feel free to double or triple.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (I used a jar from my freezer I had previously ground myself with my spectra 11, super creamy)
- 2/3 cup aronia berries, soaked for about 8 hours
- 5 small dates or 3 large
- 3 T rice protein powder (I used Raw Warrior brand since they are 1 of the few not from China, thus low heavy metals)
- Liquid stevia to taste or other sweetener of choice (thai coconut sugar would be a good choice)
- 1/2 t salt or to taste if nut butter isnt salted.
- Food processor
Instructions:
- Process dates, nut butter, stevia, salt and a handful of the berries until smooth.
- Add the rest of the berries and lightly process to not break up the berries too much.
- Press into a glass or ceramic pan (size will depend how thick you want them) and top with more nut butter if desired.
- Set in fridge for a few hours.
Nutritional benefits:Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of polyunsaturated fat, vitamin E, fiber, minerals and have a very high amount of phytosterols compared to other nuts and seeds. Phytosterols are compounds found in plants that have a chemical structure very similar to cholesterol, and when present in the diet in sufficient amounts, are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, and enhance the immune response.
Black aronia berries (or choke berries) are one of the richest sources of flavonoid anthocyanin antioxidants, which scavenge free radicals. Anthocyanins from Choke Berries were used to inhibit chemically induced cancer in rats. They are also a good source of many antioxidant vitamins and phytonutrients.
Sources for this article include
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