Eating
Cinnamon Bites
Servings: 8 small balls
Finally, a new recipe on the blog!
I’ve had this one prepared for so long, and it’s so good and simple to make that it’s a shame I didn’t post it earlier. Anyway, it’s here now! It’s something that you will fall in love with if you like cinnamon! I use it all the time and sprinkle it on pretty much everything, regardless of whether it’s a sweet or savoury meal. For example, it’s amazing in curries, for a salad dressing, for baked potatoes, porridges and of course, baked goods.
These bites are inspired by a snack I once had and I liked it so much that I immediately regretted not stocking up on it. Then I thought, why don’t I make it myself? I checked the ingredients on the back of the pack, which was the easy bit. The difficult part was to try and guess the right proportions. After a few unsuccessful tries I nailed them. 😎 No baking, no melting stuff, only mixing ingredients together and voilà . I present to you, cinnamon bites! (I dive into a little bit of the history of the cinnamon and share a few interesting facts in the end of this post, so read till the end if you’re interested!)
I am addicted to cinnamon, I’d have it in almost every sweet snack I make. These little bites are sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth in between meals or as a little dessert after a meal. My boyfriend, who usually wouldn’t go for a cinnamon flavour, loved them! No more talking, let’s make them!
What you’d need:
- Oat flour – 50g
- Oats – 20g
- Dates – 45g
- Coconut oil – 20g
- Cinnamon – 1 ½ teaspoon (or 2, if you’re really into cinnamon)
- A pinch of salt
How to make them:
In a food processor mix all ingredients together and blend on high speed. If necessary, scrape the walls if the mixture sticks to them and then pulse again a couple of times. Tip: if your dates are too dry, you can soak them in hot water for half an hour beforehand, they’ll be easier to deal with after that. Another tip: if you don’t have oat flour, you can easily make it yourself! Simply blend the exact same amount of oats in you food processor for a few minutes. Let it do its thing for a bit longer that you normally would, so that you have extra fine oat flour in the end.
Transfer to a bowl and start forming small balls with your fingers. The ‘dough’ was sticky enough to hold the shape together but if it’s too crumbly, add some water, one tablespoon at a time, and then mix again with your hands.
In the end, you should have eight wonderful pieces of cinnamon delight waiting for you. I told you, easy and sooo delicious! Now let’s dive into a little bit of facts. 🤓
Cinnamon is a spice that is made from the inner bark of trees scientifically known as Cinnamomum. Used as an ingredient throughout history, dating back as far as Ancient Egypt, it used to be rare and valuable and was regarded as a gift fit for kings. There are two main types of cinnamon:
- Ceylon cinnamon: also known as ‘true’ cinnamon
- Cassia cinnamon: the more common variety today and what people generally refer to as ‘cinnamon’.
Cassia cinnamon is more affordable and more widely available, but it is also higher in coumarin, which can be harmful in large amounts. Ceylon cinnamon is the better alternative, but it may be a bit more difficult to find (check at your local specialty stores). The distinct smell and flavour are due to the oily part, which is very high in the compound cinnamaldehyde. Scientists believe that this compound is responsible for most of cinnamon’s powerful effects on health and metabolism. It’s loaded with powerful antioxidants, including polyphenols, and is useful in the fight against inflammation. One of cinnamon’s most important beneficial effects is on reducing insulin resistance.*
Let me know if you try the cinnamon bites by using the hashtag #owlbeeeating on social media! Enjoy!
In case you need me… #owlbeeeating!
* Source: www.healthline.com
