Life sometimes can be hard to swallow.

That’s why the universe invented aromatic herbs & raw honey. And truffles.

A quick fix for an achy-heart, these herbal truffles use raw cacao, raw coconut, raw honey — are rich in antioxidants and are filled with wonderful aromatic herbs that lighten the spirit. For extra magic, I like to add in my wildcrafted Chaga mushroom {cuz you know, all the cool kids are cooking with Chaga — read my earlier post on Chaga Chai}.

And for medicinal love, the honey can soothe a sore throat and the herbs open the sensorium and even stimulate digestion. So this recipe can be multi-purpose — check out my suggestions for variations on the recipe at the end of this post. I’ve also included an easy list of shopping sources in case you need help procuring the ingredients.

Raw Herbal Truffles

Here’s the short & sweet of it. {Warning: It’s a ISH recipe, meaning if you really, really, really need exact measurements, you won’t get them here. Particularly because 1) That’s how I cook, 2) quantities really depend on preference}.

To prepare to make the truffles with minimal mess and stickiness, oil a mixing boil with coconut oil to reduce honey stickiness and have ready a smaller bowl to dust the truffles with additional cacao, sea salt and lavendar flowers. Have a prepared sheet of parchment ready so the truffles may dry.

Pulverize into powder (spice grinder or by hand in a mortar & pestle): 

1 cup Masala Chai Blend

1/2 cup Rose Petals

1/8 cup Lavendar Blossoms

Add to the mixing bowl with: 

1 cup Chaga powder (optional)

1 cup raw Cacao powder

1 cup raw coconut (optional)

1 tsp of sea salt

Slowly stir in raw honey until a thick paste is created — stir with a wet spoon or spatula — or for extra theraputics stir with your hands. Not too much, just enough to create a ball consistency. Too much and the truffle will mush, sag, and will be overall just too sticky.

Roll out each ball by hand, a tablespoon size works for a bite-sized bit. Smaller if you feel the taste is too flavorful. Dust with additional cacao powder, add a sprinkle of sea salt and decorate with lavender flowers.

The flavors won’t do away with the ills of the world, but they can lift the spirits and offer herbal hope. One bite at a time.

~~~

Alternative recipes: 

Truffles digestif: Add a TBSP of dandelion root, marshmallow root & burdock root to the Masala Blend for grinding. Friend & herbalist Gina Brown adds Triphila powder for an Ayurvedic twist to further aid in digestion. Eat one as a dessert or before a meal.

Throat-coat & sinus truffle: Add marshmallow root (abt 1/3 cup) to the Masala Blend when grinding. Eat one hourly to soothe throat and open sinus.

Easy-peasy Shopping Sources: 

Bulk herbs for masala chai can easily procured online via Mountain Rose Herbs

Bulk chaga powders can be found at Mushroom Harvest

Raw cacao, coconut oil, coconut can be found in bulk at Wilderness Family Naturals

Raw honey (as well as locally grown herbs, which I recommend) sources can be identified at LocalHarvest.org or check out your local farmers market.

For you people in GR:

Spice blends can be procured at Penzey’s, Harvest Health & Elder & Sage

Raw honey can be procured at Siciliano’s as well at the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market