Tag: date truffles

Stuffed Dates with Chestnut Cream

Well hello there! It’s been a while. I caught my breath from the holidays, and behold yet another one is upon us: Thanksgiving.

Giving thanks – it’s something we speak about a lot I think, but not something we put into practice that much. I’ve been working on it a lot lately actually – really getting in the moment with my children, being thankful for the craziness and the messes instead of feeling overwhelmed by them.

It happened gradually really, after making a commitment to feeling more gratitude, I noticed how I started to see the good in things more naturally. My kids became cuter, the mess less overwhelming, and I became more productive because life just felt easier. It’s as simple as that.


Or maybe not quite so simple because life gets hectic, and hard, and sometimes it’s just hard to see the good in things – but it’s almost like a muscle, exercising that part of the brain makes it come more naturally. At least that’s been my experience.


So yes, this Thanksgiving I am actually practicing gratitude and I really have so much to be thankful for! When I picked up my camera to do this shoot, it felt so good to be behind the camera and I took the moment to really appreciate having a job that I absolutely LOVE, one that allows me to express myself creatively, and do the things I love.


While I don’t host a Thanksgiving dinner, I’ve been celebrating at my friend Melinda’s house for the past few years and I always bring a dish with me. This year, I really wasn’t feeling pie, even though that’s what I usually bring.

In the past, I’ve brought Mexican hot chocolate pecan pie, cookie butter pumpkin pie, and baklava pumpkin pie. One year I brought the chicken liver hummus from my cookbook, Millennial Kosher, because Mel is a big liver fan! But this year I wanted something easy yet festive and I knew I wanted to do something with chestnuts.

I’ve been dreaming of making my own chestnut cream every since I had chestnut crepes in Paris a few months ago, so I started there. A cake seemed too overwhelming, so what else to do with it? Well…. I love stuffing dates with all sorts of nut butter and tahini, so why not chestnut puree right? Especially when I cook it down with orange, cinnamon and cardamom – the perfect pairing!

Of course I finished it off with a dip in my favorite chocolate – California Gourmet, to really take it over the top. CHECKOUT THEIR SPECIAL PROMOTION HERE, use code 15BUSYBIB for an additional 15% off your order!

Finished with nutty sesame and some crunchy Maldon and you’ve got a dessert to be thankful for! Happy Turkey Day!

This post is sponsored by California Gourmet Chocolate Chips.

Related Recipes:

chestnut hummus with herbed pita chips
how to roast chestnuts
ferraro rawcher date bites
marzipan date truffles

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Ferrero Rawcher Bites

It’s only taken 8 years, but welcome to the new and improved BUSYINBROOKLYN site! I’ve modernized the design, cleaned up some of the old junk and here we are! Clean, simple, and dare I say millennial? That’s my new favorite word!

I would love to hear your feedback on how you like it and if there is anything I can do to improve the design! Leave a comment below to let me know!

The new blog style may be streamlined and fresh, but the food here is just what you’re used to. Fun new recipes with a twist!

If you’re a regular around here, you know that date & nut bites are my all time favorite snack – and these will look familiar. I’ve made these marzipan flavored ones in the past, and if you’re lucky enough to own my cookbook, you’ve probably tried the much-loved pecan pie bites that are a family staple.

If that’s not enough, I’ve also made them into fun hamantaschen and gingerbread truffles. And I’m testing other flavors as we speak. Because (repeat after me) DATE NUT BITES ARE THE WORLD’S GREATEST SNACK.

Related Recipes:

marzipan date truffles
cowboy cookie dough bites
gingbread truffles

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Marzipan Date Truffles

I must. must. must. discuss these beautiful photos!!! After much deliberation, I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to a new full frame sensor camera, the Canon 6D. Do I even need to tell you how amazing the full frame sensor is, or should I just let the photos do the talking (all unedited, straight out of the camera!)?

I know most of you are not here for the photography. OK maybe you enjoy the mouthwatering food, but you can do without the technical jargon. Let me just say that the camera sensor is what lets in the light and a bigger sensor = more light and more light = beautiful photos. That being said, my “studio” is in a pretty dark room with limited light so a larger sensor is really important for me. The full frame sensor also allows me to fit more into the frame of a photo so you get a wider view.


Sensor aside, the 6d also has wifi capability so I can set my camera on a tripod and connect to it via Canon’s app to take hands free photos! Taking photos on a tripod removes any possibility of camera shake so you get crystal clear, sharp photos. I’m so in love!

Speaking of which, I am also very much in love with this healthy, raw, vegan, 4-ingredient (if you don’t count the salt!) snack that’s become a staple in my house. Marzipan is one of my favorite flavors (hello 3-layer rainbow cookies!) and the pure almond extract really brings out that flavor in these guilt-free chews. With Tu B’shvat around the corner, they are just the thing!!

Related Recipes:

Tu B’shvat truffles
date and almond hamantaschen
cowboy cookie dough bites
gingerbread truffles

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Gingerbread Truffles

When the weather starts to take on a bitter chill, and the city is covered in a blanket of beautiful white snow, I know it’s time to break out the gingerbread. There’s just something about the warm, fragrant spices that’s so comforting. I often turn to this tried and true recipe for gingerbread cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese frosting when I need my gingerbread fix.

That’s the thing about winter. You just want to cuddle up in big, bulky sweaters – unaware as to what all that comfort food is doing to your waist line. Which is why I set out to disguise my favorite winter comfort food as a healthy truffle that’s chocolate-free! Medjool dates have a great fudgy quality that makes them the perfect raw and healthy base for decadent truffles. They’re virtually fat free, rich in potassium, and a great source of dietary fiber.

Sure, there was a time when dates looked like cockroaches, and I wouldn’t go near them with a ten foot pole. But when I finally took he plunge, there was no going back. How can you go wrong with sweet syrupy chews that are virtually guilt-free? They make a great addition to smoothies, granola bars, and even salads.

If you haven’t picked up on this month’s link-up theme just yet, it’s all about comfort food! Read on for a collection of decadent comforting recipes that are sure to keep you warm all winter long!

Related Recipes:

gingerbread cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese frosting
gingerbread cookies

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