For week #51 of my 2018 challenge to try one new whole-food plant-based (WFPB) recipe each week, I made these turmeric balls. The inspiration came from this recipe by Deryn Macey, creator of runningonrealfood.com.

Note: This is an adapted version. I changed up the proportions of spices a bit (added less salt, ginger, and pepper to mine), based on personal preferences.

Ahh, nothing says dessert indulgence like… turmeric balls?

Lol. Well, dessert indulgence isn’t exactly what I was going for with this recipe.

And I’m not claiming that this recipe will satisfy a craving for donut holes…

But if you’re looking for an efficient way to get a hefty dose of turmeric in your diet, I suggest checking this recipe out. :)

Why turmeric?

Turmeric is known for it’s anti-inflammatory health benefits. If you want to dive deeper into this topic, I recommend checking out this resource by Dr. Michael Greger of nutritionfacts.org.

In his “Daily Dozen” app, Dr. Greger recommends trying to consume 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric daily. He states, “With few downsides at culinary doses and myriad potential health benefits, I’d suggest trying to find ways to incorporate turmeric into your daily diet.”

Additionally, Dr. Greger explains in this video that consuming the actual spice has advantages over taking a supplement containing curcumin (which is considered the active ingredient in turmeric).

What I like about this recipe:

• Simple to make.

• Coconut, cashews, and cinnamon add a nice combination of flavors.

• If you make 12 balls from this recipe, you’ll be getting 1/4 tsp. of health-boosting turmeric in each ball! (Making it easy to check turmeric off the daily dozen list!)

What I ended up using/doing:

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1 cup raw cashews (unsalted)

• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

• 3 tsp. ground turmeric

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

• 1/8 tsp. salt

Steps:

1. In a food processor, mix the above ingredients on high speed until the cashews are broken down. The consistency will be crumbly but moist.

2. Using your fingers, press the mixture into balls.

3. Store in the fridge for at least a couple hours. (They will harden a bit when cooled.)

4. Enjoy!