Herbaceous Black Sesame & Honey "Truffles"

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3pm slump got you down? Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee or that donut in the break room, try these rich, energy-boosting "truffles" to help carry you through the rest of your day. These sweet treats are loaded with black sesame seeds to give you a more sustained energy boost than coffee. With honey and maple syrup, you will also get the short term pick-me-up the brain seeks from sugar when facing fatigue.

Extra bonus? The herbs inlcuded nourish the Five Zang, or "Solid" organs according to Asian medicine: the Heart, Kidney, Liver, Lungs, and Spleen/Pancreas. These organs are where the body builds, makes, and moves vital substances such as Qi and Blood, and are all considered yin in nature . This means your herbal indulgence is not junk; rather, it is helping to realign and build your body from within! Want to know more about the ingredients? Read on after the recipe.

Recipe: Herbaceous Black Sesame & Honey "Truffles"

Makes 30+ 1-inch balls. Serving size: 1 ball

Ingredients

  • 3 cups black sesame seeds
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 Tbsp dried orange peel pieces
  • 2 Tbsp green cardamom pods
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3 cups dried rose petals
  • 1/2 cup almond flour

Recipe

  1. Toast the black sesame seeds until fragrant and beginning to pop. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine cooled sesame seeds and honey in a food processor. The result will be a thick, sticky paste.
  3. Powder the orange peels, cardamom pods, and rose petals in a grinder.
  4. Combine the powdered herbs with the cinnamon and cocoa powder. Taste. The flavor should be herbaceous, fragrant, and a bit bitter. Add more spices/cocoa, if needed. Remember, you are mixing with plenty of sugar later, so sweetness will be added.
  5. Combine 3 Tbsp of the powdered herb mixture with the almond flour and set aside.
  6. Sift the remaining powdered herbs into the sesame/honey paste. Re-grind larger bits as needed until you are able to pass all of the herb mixture through a sifter.
  7. Either by hand or using a large food processor, stir the herbs into the sesame/honey mixture until it is the consistency of pea-sized breadcrumbs.
  8. Simmer maple syrup in a small pot for 10 minutes to thicken. Allow to cool for 10 minutes
  9. Stir maple syrup into the sesame "breadcrumbs" until it comes together into one mass of dough.
  10. Taste. This is the main flavor of your "truffle." Add additional spices or honey, if desired.
  11. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls.
  12. Roll each ball in the herb/almond flour mixture and place in a resealable container.
  13. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.
  14. "Truffles" will keep for up to 2 weeks in a covered container in the fridge.

Laura's Tips

  • Toast the sesame seeds in batches so as not to overcrowd your pan. Shake the pan often while toasting.
  • Don't have a grinder? You can also use a mortar and pestle to grind the orange peels, cardamom pods, and rose petals, just be prepared for a forearm workout. If you have a coffee grinder, I recommend thoroughly washing it rather than opting for the mortar and pestle. Your arms will thank you later.
  • Don't have a sifter? A small mesh sieve works great to sift in the powdered herbs. The goal is to avoid large herbal bits in your "truffles."
  • As always, prep makes your life easier! When it comes to rolling time, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place your rolled balls here to make clean up a breeze.
  • Looking for ingredients in Denver? Natural Grocers is your one stop shop for everything you need for this recipe. Apothecary Tinctura is also a great option to purchase the orange peel, rose petals, and cardamom.

Recipe adapted from Pamela Shaw of Quaternity Holistics, an extremely knowledgeable herbalist practicing in Brooklyn, NY.

Herb Talk

But wait, why are these particular ingredients included?

Black sesame seeds nourish the yin energy of the Kidneys and Liver to stabilize and root the deep reserves of the body. They also help the body to build healthy Blood and reach to the body's depth to support our Essence, the core of life force in Asian medicine. Like most seeds, their oils moisten and lubricate the Large Intestine to support gut health.

In small quantities, the sweet flavor of honey and maple syrup supports the Spleen/Pancreas and the body's ability to produce healthy Qi. This does not mean you should start slurping these down by the spoonful. Most of us consume too much sugar that is already hidden in our foods. Too much sweetness can overwhelm the digestive system and lead to sluggishness, weight gain, and inflammation.

Dried orange peel is a deliciously aromatic herb that serves like a breath of fresh air in this recipe. The orange peel helps to move Qi in the Spleen/Pancreas and Lungs. Whenever you have large quantities of nourishing herbs like sesame seeds, honey, and maple syrup, there is a chance that they will create cloying stagnation. Just think of the rich, oily/sticky nature of these flavors and it is easy to imagine how they can slow the system down. Qi movers, like orange peel, help to keep your Qi flowing as you nourish.

Cardamom is my favorite herb, hands-down. Like orange peel, cardamom moves Qi in the Spleen/Pancreas and helps to prevent stagnation from the rich nourishing herbs in this recipe. Think of the powerful smell of cardamom. When you smell strongly aromatic herbs like this, it is usually a safe bet to assume that they will support and move digestive Qi.

Cinnamon is a powerhouse in the herb department. Cinnamon's warmth helps to nourish the yang energy of the Kidneys and the Heart. It's spiciness also helps to unblock energy channels throughout the body, allowing the free flow of Qi.

Salt is the flavor associated with the Kidneys in Asian medicine. The Kidneys house our Essence, or life force, and serve as the energetic base of our body. Adding salt helps to maximize the Kidney-nourishing aspects of sesame seeds and cinnamon. As with the sweeteners above, this does not mean you should start eating tons of salt. Salt in moderation helps to support Kidney health, but excessive salt will overwhelm the Kidneys, thus damaging our body's deep reserves.

Cocoa powder's bitter flavor is a tip-off that it supports the Heart, as bitter is the flavor of the Heart in Asian medicine. Like cinnamon, cocoa powder strengthens Kidney yang energy. Cocoa powder also helps to move Spleen/Pancreas energy, adding even more digestive support to these treats.

Cardamom may be my favorite herb, but rose petals come in a close second. Rose petals move Liver Qi, which is in charge of the free flow of Qi throughout the body. I like to think of the Liver as the Old Mill in Body Town. Like a mill that steadily generates energy for a town, the Liver's ability to keep Qi flowing smoothly enables the Qi in the rest of your body to do get down to work and do what needs to be done. That is to say, rose petals help to support whole body Qi flow! There is something to the old adage, "stop and the smell the roses," doing so helps to smooth Qi flow and stabilize emotional balance in the body.

Want to know more about the energetics described here? Check out my blog post on yin and yang theory.