“For far too long we have been seduced into walking a path that did not lead us to ourselves. For far too long we have said yes when we wanted to say no. And for far too long we have said no when we desperately wanted to say yes. . . .
When we don't listen to our intuition, we abandon our souls. And we abandon our souls because we are afraid if we don't, others will abandon us.”
-Terry Tempest Williams
I have never been a huge fan of New Years resolutions. I believe that every minute, every moment, everyday, carries the opportunity to start anew. The world is constantly unfolding, presenting us with an array of choices. The question is, are we awake enough to see them? Are we in tune with our body and our spirit to know what it is that we truly desire. This question can be posed to every facet of our lives. To the food choices we make, how we want to use our spare time, and the career opportunities we take.
I used to hate solitude. Being alone with myself, my thoughts.... my hands and mind fidgeting, desperately attempting to grab a hold of something. However, it was those moments that taught me the most about myself. I remember growing up and hearing the adults say, "You do not truly discover who you are until later in life." I would think to myself, "what are they talking about?!" I am Kristen, I grew up on my Granddad's farm in Maryland, I have a younger sister and lots of pets....that is who I am. It wasn't until I moved to the city and started working in a restaurant that I realized how little I knew about myself. In the restaurant industry you are constantly meeting new people. I would always get asked, "So, what do you like to do?", "Do you have any hobbies?" "Tell me about yourself." No longer was my name and hometown a sufficient answer. At that time though, I was working 70+ hours a week, trying to afford my life as a single girl in expensive DC. It wasn't until a few years later that my life took a drastic turn and I no longer found myself surrounded by cocktails and late night parties with friends. As much as that lifestyle needed to come to an end, I was not quite prepared to spend all day everyday alone. But oh, how transformative it was.
What does all my rambling have to do with this recipe for fruit & nut truffles....well nothing and everything :) If I hadn't had that time to be with myself, would I have ever discovered what my passions were? Would I be painting, would I be cooking, would I even be typing these words? Do not use the coming of a new year as an excuse to make changes in your life. Allow each morning to present you with its beautiful rays of awakening. Wake up your mind, open up your soul, dust off your feet. Get out there and see where the road takes you. Challenge yourself. Allow yourself time everyday to just sit and be, be here... present in this moment. Follow your heart, your intuition. Who knows, you may learn something about yourself that you never knew before. I know I did.
FRUIT & NUT TRUFFLES
2 cups mixed nuts (I used walnuts, pistachios and pecans), raw
20 medjool dates, soft and pitted
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
Directions
Place dates in the food processor. If the dates aren't soft, soak them for about an hour. Mix them in the processor until a paste forms. Put the paste in a medium size bowl.
There is no need to clean the food processor after the dates. Put the nuts in the processor along with the cinnamon and sea salt. Mix until a choppy mixture forms. You do not want to over mix the nuts because you will end up with nut butter. And even though that would be delicious, it's not what we are after for this recipe.
Add the nut mixture to the date paste and mix until completely combined. This dough will be pretty sticky so have some parchment paper next to you. Grab a spoonful of the fruit nut mixture and roll it into a ball. Place in a container and store in the fridge.
This is optional but so so good. You can roll the fruit & nut truffles in a variety of toppings. I chose to to leave some of mine plain but also opted to roll them in cacao powder and coconut. Yum Yum!
Enjoy pretty peoples
All my Love,
Kristen
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