Raw Coconut Flour Cookie Balls

I love getting as much raw food into our diet as possible. I also don't like eating the same thing over and over. Therefore, I have been pondering for quite some time, how to use raw coconut flour without baking with it. Then, last week I got my new book "Living Raw Food" by Sarma Melngailis (which happens to be one of my favorite books). I was eyeing her recipe for Chocolate-Coconut Truffles and thought, "I could do that with coconut flour!"

I still have several ideas for using raw coconut flour floating around in my head, but this is the first one I tried and it was a hit with the kids. Also great for those hot days when using your oven is out of the question. These are very filling, which comes in handy when you have a house full of "starving" boys. ;)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, softened
3/4 cup date paste*
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 cup honey
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
3/4 cup coconut flour
almonds, finely chopped for coating

Melt butter and add it to date paste. Mix well. Stir in vanilla, sea salt, and honey. Add the coconut flakes. Once you have it mixed well, stir in the coconut flour. Dough will be thick.

Form 1-inch balls with the dough, then roll them in chopped almonds for a coating. Place them on a cookie sheet and refrigerate to slightly firm them.

*Date paste is easy to make and wonderful to use by itself or in recipes. Soak raw, pitted dates in water for an hour or so. Strain, and grind them to a paste in a food processor. Use some of the left-over water to get the desired consistency, which should be thick but soft and spreadable.