Carob Tahini Date Balls

When it comes to bringing a dessert to a party, I never have the time to bake or prepare something to bring along. So, I rely heavily on raw or no bake desserts! This past week, I tried to make a recipe out of some of my favorite pantry staples; including carob powder, carob chips, raw dates and coconut oil.

As I was creating this recipe, I realized I was completely out of coconut oil and had to think quick and decide what I could add to compliment the other ingredients as well as bind them together to create a bite sized dessert. I thought for a few minutes, and remembered seeing so many recipes incorporating tahini and went for it! It actually turned out to be a delicious combo!

Carob Tahini Date Balls Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp of tahini

• 1 tbsp of carob powder

• 2 tbsp of nuts (almonds or walnuts)

• 1/4 cup carob chips (unsweetened)

• 1/4 cup of coconut flakes

• 1 tbsp of flaxseed

• 1 tbsp of chia seed

• 1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds

• dash of sea salt

• dash of cinnamon

Instructions:

• Add ingredients to food processor.

• Blend until all ingredients are combined

• Roll into balls and then coat with coconut flakes

• Put the balls in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

The Perfect Crudités Spread

This year we hosted Christmas Eve #AtTheAyoubis again, and I decided it would be the perfect opportunity for me to execute my dream crudités table spread! My inspiration was this table. (to the left). On the right, was how I got started. To provide a rustic vibe, I purchased these wooden boards, marble stands and wreaths from home goods. At first sight, I felt unsure of how this would turn out, and if I would have the ability to transform my vision into reality.

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Continue to read to check out some of the highlights of this amazing spread…

Hostess With The Mostest

Before we begin with the food…Of course, I had to be decked out as well! Here are my hosting outfit details !

Dress: by L’Acadamie

Shoes: Charles David

Beet Hummus

My beet hummus served in a carved out cabbage bowl was a hit. This was the perfect dip to compliment the roasted veggies! (recipe here)

Learn how to create these veggie vessels here

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Mini Bell Peppers

We sliced the pepper in half longwise and stuffed them with a homemade spinach & artichoke dip!

I then placed them on this two-tiered platter for the perfect elevated snack!

Shrimp Cocktail Cups

Shrimp cocktail is always an appetizer favorite. I love that it’s a great protein packed choice for guests who are watching their carbohydrate intake. Each cup had a spoon of cocktail sauce, a lemon wedge and 2 jumbo shrimps.

These were so delicious!

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

Another great low carb option at the table were these cucumbers & salmon bites. Slicing these mediterranean cucumbers on an angle, longwise helps create a bigger space for toppings! When it comes to smoked salmon, i always recommend nitrate free and wild caught. I topped each one with a dollop of a cream cheese mixture, capers and fresh dill. I normally would use a dairy free kite hill cream cheese, but for a large gathering, I use normal dairy based products.

Roasted & Raw Veggies:

I coated these organic carrots with ghee spray, sea salt, pepper , thyme and a sprinkle of coconut sugar!

I baked them at 400 degrees until they were crisp and slightly browned. The sweet and savory combo of the herbs came out so good!

The rest of the veggies were sliced and spread onto a wooden board for dipping during OUR cocktail hour.

Lots of Cheeses!

It was tough to decide which cheese to serve on this table spread. We went with a smoked gouda, merlot asiago, crumbled goat cheese, cranberry covered goat cheese and a baked brie!

Baked Brie Cheese

I made this by wrapping a whole wheel of brie cheese in phyllo dough (or puff pastry). Before baking, I added raw walnuts, organic raw coconut sugar, cinnamon, grass fed butter and nutmeg for a decadent flavor!

Chartreuse board

Along with cheeses, smoked meats are a total necessity. I created this mini chartreuse board with just one type of meat to keep it simple amongst the diverse choices of the table. A few slices of smoked pastrami on a marble top stand created great color contrast. In addition, I decided to add in some bright cocktail olives for even more pizzaz.

Check out the whole spread here!

Last but not least, Light up some candles!

Preferably unscented candles to add to the table. We definitely didn’t want guests to be smelling lavender scented candles while biting into goat cheese! (not a good combo haha). A few candles create a warm welcome to the table and a sense of ambiance.

A special thank you to my friends & family that helped me put this together!