Sweet potato truffles
This highly nutritious starchy vegetable is at the root of my Longevity Cookery Workshop and talks. Being an excellent source of some of the chief immune boosting nutrients, the sweet potato must surely take some of the credit for the great life spans of certain ‘Blue Zones’ where populations boast not only a high number of centenarians but an enhanced degree of health well into old age. There are many ways to incorporate this brightly coloured potato into our weekly repertoire of recipes. This recipe is fun, messy (in a good way) and truly delicious. As the preparation process is a great creative opportunity, I used this during my workshop for the blind and partially sighted at the Torch Retreat (West Sussex) to draw on the senses of taste, touch and smell.
It’s also fun for the kids, perfect for messy play and easily digestible for those needing to boost their daily fibre.
My session with the group of 25 blind and partially sighted was a unique experience; both humbling and inspiring. The group enjoyed hearing and discussing the various lifestyle and nutrition aspects of areas of the world where centenarians have enjoyed not only long and healthy lives. Amongst us we had a gentleman of 99 years who shared his secrets of old age – be calm and enjoy cooking. He also held his wife’s hand throughout indicating that great companionship had a part to play.
We can learn a great deal from working with the blind; that being heard is as important as being seen, that we can challenge ourselves to take part in new experiences despite being cautious or scared and that sharing such group events and activities is good for the soul and helps us to grow, even as adults.
Do get in touch if you would like a nutrition workshop tailored to a specific group needs.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (255g) mashed sweet potato; baked sweet potato works best in this recipe, boiled can be too wet. Bake for 30-40 minutes on a low heat. Must be cool before mixing.
- 1 cup (120g) ground almond*
- 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- 20 g dates, stones removed and sliced thinly
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- Options for toppings - unsweetened desiccated coconut, linseeds, chia seeds, chopped goji berries, chocolate chips, cacoa nibs (for rolling)
Instructions
1. In a food processor blend all the ingredients (apart from the toppings) together until very well combined.
2. Gently form into 12 balls, if too sticky use a little flour on your hands. Chill for 15 mins in the fridge. Then using a large plate with your toppings sprinkled over, roll carefully so as not to squish the shape. This is where the creative process can be fun as interesting patterns can be made.
* The amount of ground almond needed may vary depending on the level of moisture in the potatoes.
Store in fridge