Alisa Cooks – Recipes from the Go Dairy Free kitchen

Chipotle Chicken and Chard Chili

Posted by alisa on March 30, 2010 | 16 Comments

How is that for an alliterate recipe title? So thanks to Lacey’s response on my “how to use these veggies” post, I discovered a great new-to-me recipe from Giada of the Food Network. Of course, her recipe needed a few little tweeks. Cheese? Not in our house. How much fennel? Lets trim that down – a lot. Ground chicken? Chicken should be chunky! Parsley on chili? Seriously?

So after making a few modifications this very chunky chili was served and it was delicious! The recipe does make for a very chicken-heavy chili. Feel free to cut that down to 3/4 lb, 1/2 lb, or even make it vegetarian if you wish. You can easily double the beans, add some more veggies (I thought chopped zucchini would go nicely), or just thicken the broth a bit more and enjoy it with less of the chunky add-ins.

To note, we did like it as is, and I don’t think my husband (aka “the meat man”) would want me to cut back on the chicken at all, let alone make it vegetarian.

For dinner (the first time), I served full bowls with some homemade “cheddar” and chive spelt rolls (nightime, hence the dark lighting) …

For lunch the next day (pictured above), we were out of the rolls, but it still went nicely as leftovers over rice.

On a second go of the chili (more chard in the CSA!), I added some quartered mushrooms (about 4 ounces, but you could go for and served the chili over a bed of rice steamed asparagus. Both veggies were nice additions, so feel free to play around with the produce you have on hand.

Chipotle Chicken and Chard Chili

Recipe adapted from Giada’s White Bean and Chicken Chili. I used chipotle chili powder, and even just this wee amount made the dish notably spicy. You can adjust to taste with some crushed red pepper, chilis, or hot sauce, should your chili powder not bring the heat you are seeking.

This recipe is Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Sugar-Free, optionally Gluten-Free, and heck, you can even make it Vegan / Vegetarian (sans chicken of course) if you so desire.

• 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cut into small slices / chunks*
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons Cornstarch or Arrowroot
• Couple Pinches of Salt (optional)
• 1-1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/2 Large Onion, diced or 1 Leek, sliced 1/4-inch thick and quartered
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed or minced
• 1/2 to 3/4 Teaspoon Salt or to taste, divided
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
• 1 Teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons Flour (your choice, I used whole wheat pastry flour), depending on how thick you like it
• 1 15-ounce can Cannellini or White Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Large Bunch Swiss Chard, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (my bunch with stems was about 3/4 lb) OR 1 Bag of Baby Spinach Leaves (should chard be hard to come by in your area)
• 1 Cup Frozen Corn, Thawed
• 2 Cups Regular or Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (I used regular)
• White or Brown Rice for serving (optional)

Place the chicken in a medium-sized bowl, and stir in the cornstarch or arrowroot (I like to add a pinch or two of salt here too) until it is well-distributed and appears absorbed. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion or leek and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until nice and softened. Add the garlic and sauté for just 30 seconds or so. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the spices – cumin, fennel, oregano, and chili powder. Cook while continuously stirring, until the chicken is cooked (no pink showing). This will take about 7 or 8 minutes. If the chicken threatens to stick, just add a dash or two of the broth.

Stir in the flour to coat, and add the broth, beans, chard, and corn. The chard will look boisterous, but don’t worry, it cooks down significantly.

Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow it to simmer for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour. The liquid will reduce in half and thicken a fair bit. Taste test it as it is cooking, and season to taste with additional salt (I used another 1/4 teaspoon) if desired. You can also add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper as it cooks if you want more spice, but we found the medium-heat to be just right as is.

If desired, serve over rice and with some homemade rolls.

*I used chicken breasts that were only slightly defrosted, making them very easy to slice. I sliced them about ¼-inch thick, and then cut each slice into ½-inch chunks. But you can cut them any size you like.

Yields 4 servings with rice and/or bread

Can you spot the spoon in this picture?

Marvelous Maple Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free & Vegan!)

Posted by alisa on March 22, 2010 | 23 Comments

Unfortunately, an onslaught of review requests these past few months kept me from getting to one of my newest gems, The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre. But ever since I finally cracked it open, I haven’t put it down. It is dusted with flours and splattered with oil, and already deemed a staple in my kitchen.

Since this is a recipe blog, not a review blog, I only share those cookbooks here that inspire some delicious recipes, and this one certainly has. Beyond helping me with my new CSA load with a recipe for Balsamic Roasted Beets and another for Collard Wraps, I quickly gained appreciation for the healthified desserts in this cookbook .. and in typical Alisa-fashion, I jumped straight to the cookies!

The Cashew Coconut Cookies were the first to catch my eye. My husband isn’t a big fan of coconut, but I knew an easy swap for chocolate chips would win him over. And as I taste-tested the dough (come on – you always have to taste test the dough, right?!), I thought it was very good, but perhaps just a touch too healthy for our current cravings. The dough had a mild shortbread sweetness, while we were both craving a sweeter treat. So I made a few adjustments and additions, and viola! My slightly less healthy, but still quite virtuous Maple Cashew Chocolate Chip version.

Just so you know – I did try to “gluten” these cookies in a second batch, since I know that many of you don’t have a problem with wheat (all of the recipes in The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook are gluten-free), and may not have the flours and xanthan gum on hand. I replaced the brown rice flour with whole wheat pastry flour and removed the xanthan gum. I kept the starch since these are egg-free. The cookies worked, but just weren’t as good in my opinion; they were a wee bit too sweet and spread a bit more. I actually really like them the gluten-free way. But, if I were to trial them again with wheat, I would probably switch to cornstarch or arrowroot for the tapioca (it seems those starches yield a softer product) and would reduce the maple syrup by a tablespoon or two. It was a bit overpowering with the wheat, but a nice contrast with the brown rice flour. Just wanted to give you a heads up on that, in case you feel like experimenting!

Here is a pic of my wheaty results – I split the wheat batch, trialing some with raisins (pictured), some with cranberries, and some with chocolate chips – the chocolate chips won hands down.

And yes, even though there are no known problems with wheat/gluten in my household, I always keep various gluten-free flours and starches on hand. It started several years back with some recipe-testing for a few gluten-free / casein-free companies … but I quickly learned that the different flours offer new textures and flavors that are yummy in their own right. So, I just sort of kept stocking them. Fortunately, brown rice flour, tapioca starch (see my sub note above) and xanthan gum can now be found in most major grocers with ease.

Maple Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies

I adapted this recipe from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre. These cookies have a unique but addictive flavor that is maple-rich. Once allowed too cool, they are very cohesive, particularly for gluten-free gems, yet they still have a nice cookie dough-esque texture that I simply adored.

This recipe is Vegan, Dairy-Free, Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free, and Refined Sugar-Free.

• 1/2 Cup Raw Cashews
• 1 Cup Brown Rice Flour
• 1/4 Cup Tapioca Starch or Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/3 Cup Coconut Oil, softened
• 6 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 3 Tablespoons Palm Sugar, Evaporated Cane Juice (Sucanat) or Brown Sugar (I used the Palm Sugar from Navitas Naturals)
• 2 Teaspoons Warm Water
• 1/4 to 1/3 Cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

Place the nuts in your spice grinder (or food processor) and pulse until you get a powdery /coarse flour-like consistency. It is okay if a few little cashew bits remain, but if you go too far with the grinding, the cashews will turn into a nut butter.

In a mediume bowl, combine the cashew flour, brown rice flour, tapioca, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Briefly set aside.

In a mixing bowl, blend the oil, maple syrup, sugar, and water. Blend in the flour mixture until you get a nice dough. Stir in the chocolate chips.

The dough may seem a bit sticky / greasy, but I still found it fairly easy to loosely shape into balls and place on the cookie sheet (I line mine with a silicone baking mat). If the dough is just too much to handle, pop it in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes, it will firm up quickly. Flatten the dough balls a bit – these cookies don’t spread much as they cook, so what you see is what you get.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. Remove them to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. If your husband’s greedy hands try to pop them off the baking sheet while hot, they will be crumbly, but they do firm up quite a bit as they cool.

Yields 18 to 20 cookies

Veggie Opinions Wanted, Low Glycemic Challenge, and Nut Butter

Posted by alisa on March 18, 2010 | 14 Comments

Yes, more on the veggies, but I swear I have a cookie recipe waiting in the wings for my next post! Ooops, sorry, I said low glycemic in this post; I will save the cookie talk for now.

First up, I received my second CSA, and would love some opinions, ideas, and even links to your favorite recipes for using a few items in the box. In addition to the staples that will likely be used up in my salads (assorted lettuce, carrots, etc.), I received:

• Beets: 4 modestly sized ones (is it just me, or do the roots look kind of like alien fingers?)
• Leeks: 3 seriously jumbo ones
• Mandarins: 3 lbs – they must have had some leftovers from the citrus share!
• Green Chard: 1 boisterous bunch

Last week’s beets were done roasted and balsamic style, so I am thinking of a different route this time. And with the size of those leeks, I think I will have time for a few leek inspired meals! The one mandarin I have sampled was alas a touch dry, I am hoping the others are nice and juicy. Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions on how to use up this wonderful produce?

Now, speaking of healthy food, my good bloggy friend Meghan is hosting her 5 Days Low Glycemic Eating group supported challenge beginning on Sunday. Click on the banner below to head to more information about this program. She has to be the cutest nutritionist ever!

Finally, what is your favorite nut butter? I spotted this deal on Amazon for Justin’s Nut Butter, which seems to be all the rage lately. If you do the subscribe and save (remember, you can cancel anytime and you still get to keep the discount!) and coupon code, on top of the already discounted price, it does come out to 50% off, trust me. I was scoping it out to purchase, but not sure if I should take the plunge.

To put it in perspective, the 1 lb containers of Organic Chocolate PB come out to $3.87 each, with the 1 lb  containers of Natural Chocolate Almond Butter at $5.57 each. Oh, and subscribe and save gives you that really good shipping so the goodness arrives right away. What do you think, have any of you tried Justin’s? Worth it? I still want to hear what your other favs are too? I seem to be getting those nut butter cravings. In addition to said chocolate varieties, I also have my eye on these ones …

I mean, cinnamon and peanut butter – heaven, right?

I know, so many questions, so little time. But I promise that you will all be rewarded with some more recipes to come. I think the CSA was just what I needed to realize I had my mojo all along. And just so you know - we polished off every last veggie from CSA #1 before #2 arrived. Yeah, I am pretty proud of all that green intake.

All this veggie talk has me suddenly craving some chocolate …

Don’t Pinch My Blog, I’ve Got a Green Recipe!

Posted by alisa on March 17, 2010 | 15 Comments

As mentioned in my last post, we are on week one of our first CSA. It was like Christmas pulling out one surprise veggie after another … until I got to the final item, the lump of coal at the bottom. “What’s this?” I said. It didn’t quite look like kale or chard, but similar. I went to the inventory sheet and my fears were realized – collard greens.

My first and only experience with collard greens was purchasing them in a bag on sale at a mega-grocer about seven years ago. Terrible, terrible, terrible. But determined to polish off that entire CSA box and give every veggie a fair trial, I headed to one of my favorite healthy cookbooks, Whole Life Nutrition. I was confident that Alissa (gotta love her name) would have a recipe to turn those greens into something good. In fact, she had two. One was for Apple-Spiced Collard Greens, which sounded rather tasty, but I didn’t have any apple juice on hand. The second was for Collard Green and Hummus Roll-ups. Now hummus, that is something I almost always have on hand!

My version is more of a guide / idea than a recipe, but let me tell you, it really worked to turn those nice big collard leaves (perfectly flat and excellent to work with, unlike kale or stiff chard leaves) into a tasty large snack or small meal – however you view it. And I realize Collard Greens don’t exactly shout “St. Patrick’s Day,” but hey, they are GREEN!

Now it is quite possible that there will be more of these collard greens in today’s CSA box, so please do tell … Do you have any ideas or favorite recipes for using Collard Greens?

Collard Green and Hummus Mini-Wraps

Adapted from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre. This recipe is Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, and optionally Vegan.

• Collard Green Leaves, nice full healthy ones
• Hummus, your flavor of choice
• Carrots, for shredding
• Avocado, sliced (optional – I didn’t have any)
• Leftover Chicken (optional – omit for a vegan option)
• Olives (optional – my hummus was kalamata olive hummus so I could resist)
• Other Veggie Toppings of Choice (go wild!)

Lay the leaves flat, and cut them in half, carefully cutting out that thick stem. Spread each leaf half with your favorite hummus (I was using an olive hummus, hence the darker color), and sprinkle with grated or shredded carrot.

Okay, get ready, this is my first ever step by step photo – except it is just one step …

Now, simply roll them up tight for a very light snack (I did this once, and they were tasty just like this!), or top them with your choice of toppings. The second time I made them I had some leftover chicken and olives, so I went with this, which made thicker rolls.

Yields as many as you like

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Creamy Green Garlic Soup

Posted by alisa on March 15, 2010 | 15 Comments

This recipe is an ever so slight detour from my ususal “grocery store” fare (though regular garlic can be used, as noted), because I have at last joined the CSA world! Last week I got my very first ever CSA veggie box. Now that we live reasonably close to some of those great California farms, and since all of you wonderful food bloggers have introduced me to this concept, I had to join up. I was actually on the waiting list for Mountain Bounty Farm (who delivers to the Tahoe area), and was able to cut in mid-season.

I must say, I am not the least bit disappointed! A close friend splits a share with another friend, and she thought I was insane getting a whole share for just myself and my husband. But, I think she underestimated 1) my twisted love for vegetables and 2) how much food bloggers relish quality, organic goods. Lets just say, I have had no problem polishing off the entire box, and have still picked up some other veggies at the market this past week.

Since I was new to a few ingredients, like green garlic, I have been trying to stick to recipes with few ingredients, so that I can really taste what these veggies are all about. Green garlic is interesting, as it is the immature version of the bulb garlic we buy at the grocery store. It is milder, and to me it did have a “green” taste. It did seem to be a cross (in both looks and flavor) between large green onions / spring onions and mature garlic.

This is really just a very basic creamy potato soup made with green garlic. You could easily sub in a few cloves of regular garlic, or even a bulb of roasted garlic for a different, but delicious variation. Actually, I think if I were to choose, I would try this soup next with roasted garlic, but the green garlic was a nice variation that was a touch sweeter and had that “cold-kicking” garlic essence that I was craving after a big snowstorm hit.

Creamy Green Garlic Soup

Cheap russets or baking potatotes are the best for soups like this due to their high starch content. Yukons have a medium starch content and will also work well, while adding a touch of their “buttery” feel. This recipe is Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, and optionally Vegan / Vegetarian.

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or Dairy-Free Margarine (I used olive oil)
• 1 Medium Onion, diced (about 1-1/4 cups)
• 1/2 lb Green Garlic or 3 bulbs, thinly sliced and cut in half (I used the whites, pink, and part way up the green) – can sub 2 to 4 minced medium garlic cloves
• 1/2 lb Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I didn’t peel)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt, plus more to taste (I used 1 teaspoon total)
• 1 Quart Vegetable or Chicken Broth (I used Pacific Foods Free Range Chicken Broth)
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon Dairy-Free Margarine (optional)

Heat the oil or margarine in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften and become translucent.

Add the garlic, potatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and saute for another 5 minutes – keeping things moving. If the pan dries out, splash in a wee bit of the broth to keep the ingredients from sticking.

Add the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low, allowing the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are nice and tender.

Using an immersion blender, or in two batches in a regular blender, puree the soup (garlic, onions, potatoes and all) until it is nice and smooth. I did it in my blender, allowing each batch to spin for a couple of minutes. Use caution when you turn the blender on, making sure you have a firm hand on the lid to ensure that no hot soup escapes. Trust me, that is never fun!

Return the soup to your pot and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. As noted, I used a fair bit of salt, because I was craving it, but go for what you like best. If you have some miso on hand, I might try mixing in some of this for a different flavor variation instead of the extra salt.

If desired, serve with 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of margarine swirled in to each bowl.

Yields 3 light lunches

Jam-Filled Snackin’ Muffins (or Soda Rolls)

Posted by alisa on March 10, 2010 | 12 Comments

I swear, sometimes I feel like Celine reads my mind when it comes to trialing out baked goodie recipes. I purchased some all-fruit spread solely for the purpose of coming up with some jam-filled muffins and PB&J granola for my husband’s morning snack … when low and behold, I opened her new book 500 Vegan Recipes (co-written with Joni Marie Newman) to discover recipes for both!

She calls these muffins “rolls,” which I suppose is fair since they really aren’t very sweet, save for the jam surprise in the middle. Nonetheless, they are perfectly yummy and satisfying for breakfast. I had to modify the recipe a wee bit, based on what I had on hand. I did use honey (sorry, I know it isn’t strict vegan practice, and have no fear, 500 Vegan Recipes is honey-free!), but you can stick with their suggested sweetener or agave as I have noted.

Jam-Filled Snackin’ Muffins (or Soda Rolls)

Recipe adapted from 500 Vegan Recipes by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman

They do specifically recommend soymilk for this recipe since it curdles best; though you may have success with other milk alternatives. Though we don’t typically stock soy in our house, I was reviewing this soymilk for Go Dairy Free, so I decided to use it here. This recipe is Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, and optionally Soy-Free and Refined Sugar-Free.

• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1-1/4 Cups Plain Soymilk (see above note for other soy-free milk alternatives)
• 1-1/4 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1 Cup Whole or White Spelt Flour (I used whole spelt)
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Honey, Raw Sugar or Agave Nectar (I used un-vegan honey)
• 2 Tablespoons Oil (I used extra-light olive, but you could use grapeseed, canola, or melted coconut oil)
• 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
•  1/4 Cup Jam or All-Fruit Spread
• Melted non-dairy margarine (optional)

 Preheat your oven to 400ºF, and lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

Combine the vinegar and soymilk in a medium-sized bowl or glass measuring cup, and allow it to sit as the vinegar “curdles” the soymilk.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the sweetener, oil, and applesauce to the now curdled soymilk. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture in your large bowl, and gently stir until just combined. No over-mixing!

Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter in each muffin cup. Top each mound of batter with 1 teaspoon of jam. Top the jam with the remaining batter (another heaping tablespoon per cup).

Bake for 15 minutes. As soon as you remove the rolls from the oven, brush the tops with non-dairy margarine if desired. Personally, I would skip this step next time, as I wasn’t a big fan of the salty margarine topping … but I am sure many people would love it. Pop the muffins out (they seemed to come out of the cups nicely, even while still quite hot) and indulge.

Yields a dozen sweet and savory muffins

Chocolate-Covered Cake Balls

Posted by alisa on March 7, 2010 | 24 Comments

This is what I refer to as a ”Waste Not Want Not Recipe.” You see, it was my husband’s birthday this past week, and he requested vegan vanilla cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting – a treat I had made for him in the form of a cake two years ago.

Unfortunately, I made two major mistakes:

1. Rather than using my tried and true recipes for the vegan white cake and chocolate fudge frosting (both recipes in Go Dairy Free), I decided to trial someone else’s recipe for white vegan cupcakes that I had never tried before. (When they wrote the recipe only worked for cupcakes but not cake, that should have been my first performance red flag!)
2. I forgot where we lived. Having not baked a cake since moving back to the mountains … at 6000+ feet, I completely forgot about the differences in baking. Baked goods rise here really well, in fact too well at times … and vegan cupcake recipes often rely a bit too heavily on leaveners. And, well, you know the old saying, what goes up, must come down …

A simple deflated cupcake might not have been a huge problem, but these quite frankly were not a success all around. Both the taste and texture was strangely reminiscent of cornbread. Yes, vanilla cupcakes turned to cornbread … don’t ask me how. Had we been big cornbread lovers, perhaps they would have flown, but we both wanted cake and were sorely disappointed.

However, even more than failed cake, both my husband and I hate waste. So rather than casting aside the cupcakes, I turned to one of those old throw together recipes, cake balls.

Traditional [Vegan] Cake Balls

As mentioned, I used white cake and chocolate frosting, but feel free to use whatever flavor combo excites you! This recipe is optionally Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, and Vegan – depending on the cake and frosting you use.

• 1 Prepared Cake or Batch of Cupcakes
• 16 Ounces Frosting (I prefer homemade)
• 6 Ounces Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Crumble the cake or cupcakes into a large bowl. You can do this using your fingers, or blend it up. I pulsed the cupcakes in my spice grinder to get an even crumb on the second batch.

Add the frosting, and mix well to combine. If the mixture is too gooey to handle, place it in the fridge for a few hours to firm up.

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave (do not overcook! Simply cook on high for 30 seconds, stir virorously. If chunks remain, heat in 15 second intervals, stirring between each, until you have a nice smooth chocolate).

Scoop out the cake mix and shape into balls. Drop each ball into the chocolate to coat; remove and place on a cookie sheet lined with silpat or wax paper.

Place the chocolate covered cake balls in the fridge or freezer to firm up for about 30 minutes. Once firm, these can be popped in a baggie and stored in the freezer for a treat anytime.

Note: This makes loads of cake balls. I prefer to make just some this way, and experiment with others using different flavors, like the nutty version below.

Nutty Cake Balls (I swear this is a family blog!)

Since I ran out of frosting, I began experimenting with pantry items. This version did not come out super-sweet, and they came out a bit cakier (no refrigeration was needed before shaping the mix into balls). For a nuttier and sweeter treat, feel free to up both the nut butter and sugar in this recipe. I simply ran out of cake to experiment with. Go ahead, taste test as you go and see how you like them!

• 1 Vanilla Cupcake
• 2 Tablespoons Nut Butter (ie peanut, almond, etc.)
• 2 Teaspoons Powdered Sugar
• 1 Ounce Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Follow the directions above, but use the nut butter and powdered sugar in place of the frosting.

Yields about 8 to 10 nutty cake balls