Energizing Vegan Maca Truffles
That 3PM slump is real. Instead of reaching for another coffee – which is going to mess with your sleep – reach for one of these vegan, gluten free truffles with energizing maca powder instead. They take only ten minutes to make and the combination of dried fruit, nut butter and maca will give you quick energy that doesn’t leaving you crashing 30 minutes later.
What is maca?
Maca root is starchy tuber that is commonly eaten as a vegetable in Peru, where it originates. It’s actually a cruciferous vegetable related to kale and cauliflower! Here in Canada, we typically find it sold in its powdered form, as an adaptogen for improving energy levels.
Maca root powder contains the phytochemicals you might expect from cruciferous vegetables, such as sulphur-based glucosinolates. It also contains iron, copper and manganese – all important minerals for staying energized.
While maca has a long history of use for energy, stamina and even libido, the modern clinical research is paltry at best – so this is definitely a ‘try it, see how you like it’ addition to your diet as opposed to an evidence-verified supplement. Worth noting: a few studies suggest that it might boost estrogen in post-menopausal women so do not take maca if you are dealing with any hormone-related cancers, thyroid or hormonal issues like PCOS without talking to your doctor first.
How to use maca powder
Once you’ve gone and bought maca powder to make these maca truffles…how will you use the rest of it? I’ve got some ideas for you:
- Start small: use 1 teaspoon (5ml) to see how it agrees with you…and how you like the taste. You can double up once you’re sure it’s a good fit for you.
- Add it to a chocolate smoothie
- Blend a teaspoon into a turmeric golden latte!
- Stir into oatmeal…be sure to add a bunch of cinnamon to balance the flavour
- Mix it into waffles or your favourite granola recipe
How to make an energy ball
These maca truffles are really energy balls in disguise…and they’re so easy to make! The recipe is also super flexible, with everything in equal proportions so feel free to freestyle with what you have on hand to create a yummy and energizing treat.
- 1 part flour-like ingredient, such as cocoa powder, maca, almond meal or pulverized nuts
- 1 part nut butter
- 1 part dried fruit (this must be a stickier dried fruit such as apricots, figs, or dates so it binds the recipe together)
- 1 teaspoon of a flavouring (such as vanilla or cinnamon, optional)
- Additional sweetener as necessary
- Just blitz in the food processor until it well combined!
Energizing Vegan Maca Truffles
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw maca powder
- 1/2 cup almond butter, or other nut butter
- 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit , (such as figs and dates)
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup to taste
- cocoa powder to dust, (optional)
Equipment
- Food Processor
Instructions
- Pulse everything in a food processor until it resembles very small chunks/pieces. Pinch off a little piece and squeeze it together. It should hold. If dough is too loose, add more dried fruit or maca powder, and if it is too dry, add some more nut butter/honey to loosen it up. The consistency of the dough depends on the brand/type of ingredients you use but the recipe is very flexible and forgiving.
- Pinch off about a tablespoons worth of dough, pushing and rolling it around in your hands until it forms a gum ball-sized truffle.
- Roll the truffles around in cocoa powder if you wish for a more chocolatey finish. For festive bonus points, dust a little cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cardamom into cocoa powder!
