Enjoy the natural sweetness of a mixture of dried fruits in these sweet bites. When choosing sugars, keep in mind that fruits give you the benefits of added vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Yield: about 20 pieces
Ingredients:
1⁄3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2⁄3 cup dried pitted dates (about 15 dates)
1⁄3 cup dried Mediterranean apricots (about 10 apricots)
1⁄3 cup golden raisins
1⁄3 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons puréed apricots with mixed fruits (baby food)
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Preparation:
- Place almonds and flour in food processor container. Cover and process until coarsely chopped. (Mixture should still be dry and not oily.) Set aside.
- Place all fruits and purée in microwave-safe bowl. Stir until fruit is evenly coated with purée. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 45 to 60 seconds or until fruit is soft and warm.
- Transfer fruit mixture to food processor container. Cover and process until coarsely chopped. Stir in almond mixture and ginger. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until easy to handle.
- Form mixture into ¾-inch balls using no more than 1½ teaspoons for each.
- Lightly sift powdered sugar over fruit balls. If desired, place in paper candy cups.
Per Serving (1 piece):
calories: 60; 10 calories from fat
total fat: 1 g; 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat
cholesterol: 0 mg
sodium: 0 mg
total carbohydrates: 12 g;
fiber: 1 g
sugars: 8 g
protein: 1 g
vitamins: vitamin A (6% DV), vitamin C (0% DV)
minerals: calcium (2% DV), iron (2% DV)
exchanges: 1 fruit
