- Add the pitted and chopped dates to a large food processor and mix until date forms a paste or ball. Remove and set aside.
- Add all of the bliss ball ingredients into the food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Add in the date ball or paste and pulse an additional minute, until mixture becomes crumbly. If too crumbly or dry, pulse longer, as it will get stickier over time (chilling it in the fridge for 10 minutes after mixing also helps the dough stick together).
- Use an ice cream or cookie scooper to scoop into large balls and place on a parchment lined pan in the fridge (you can also use your hands to roll them but it might get messy!)
- Add all pumpkin maple cashew cream ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth.
- Pour drizzle over the balls and reserve the rest for dipping. Option to coat with more pecan or walnut pieces and coconut flakes.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If freezing, simply remove 30 minutes before you're ready to eat.
Boost Fertility Naturally With These Pumpkin Spice Bliss Balls
Hormone Balance
4 October 2019
If you know me by now, you know I love myself a good bliss ball.
IMO they’re easy to make (typically don’t require any cooking), freeze well (i.e. snacks for days), taste like dessert, and sneak in a ton of energy-boosting and hormone-balancing nutrients.
And while I’ve made some pretty epic bliss balls in my day (see here, here or here) I’m going on record to say that these Pumpkin Spice Bliss Balls (with 3-ingredient Pumpkin Maple Cashew Cream Drizzle) are the best-tasting ones yet.
Not only are they insanely delicious and fall AF, but they also crowd in a ton of nutrients to help balance your hormones, naturally boost your fertility and support a healthy menstrual cycle. Read on to get a sneak peak into some of these ingredients and how they’ll help you look and feel your best this season (and beyond).
5 WAYS THESE BLISS BALLS WORK TO NATURALLY BOOST YOUR FERTILITY + BALANCE YOUR HORMONES —
+ Vitamin E
These Pumpkin Spice Bliss Balls are a rich source of vitamin-E, which is a fat soluble vitamin found primarily in plant seeds such as sunflower, almond, cashew, peanut, pumpkin and pecan (two of which can be found in this recipe).
Vitamin E is necessary to help protect your cells from stress and is rich in antioxidants that enhance the DNA & quality of sperm (helping it bind to an egg effectively when fertilizing), making it an important nutrient if you’re trying to get pregnant!
Also, because it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, it needs to be paired with a quality fat for optimal nutrient absorption. Luckily this recipe contains plenty of those!
+ B Vitamins (Particularly Vitamin B6)
B vitamins are essential in nearly every aspect of our bodies – from neurological (i.e. brain function) to endocrinological (i.e. hormones) to musculoskeletal systems. They’re also used as cofactors in detoxification, which plays an essential role in hormonal health.
Our bodies also require adequate amounts of vitamin B6 to maintain optimal levels of progesterone. Progesterone helps prepare the uterus for implantation and sends a signal to thicken the mucosal membranes so that the egg has healthy soil to root in. Unfortunately, many women are low in progesterone, especially due to stress, which depletes this hormone.
Progesterone is also key to a healthy menstrual cycle, helping to alleviate PMS and muscle cramping, while promoting feelings of calm and relaxation.
Eating foods high in vitamin B6 that help our bodies to naturally produce progesterone (such as walnuts, found in this recipe, as well as bananas, salmon and leafy greens ) will go a long way to improve overall hormone balance. You can also try supplementing with 100-200mg before bed.
+ Essential Fatty Acids
Essential Fatty Acids, such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 are a necessary part of egg implantation, and they also play a key role in thyroid health.
This is especially important as the thyroid regulates our heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism and body temperature and has a huge impact on weight, fertility, menstruation, skin tone, energy levels, sleep, memory and digestion as a result.
The thyroid being off can prevent ovulation and, therefore, fertility or cause a miscarriage, but luckily you can support your thyroid health by adding in foods rich in essential fatty acids such as flax and chia seeds (both in this recipe) as well as fish oil and salmon.
+ Estrogen-Supporting Foods
During your follicular phase (typically days 1-12 of your cycle) it’s important for your body to produce enough estrogen, which helps your uterine lining grow and thicken, preparing it for a possible pregnancy.
Eating foods like pumpkin and flax seeds (both in this recipe) that support estrogen production as it ramps up can be very helpful during this phase of your cycle, but they’re also nutrient-rich foods to add to your diet in general.
+ Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral for the DNA process, and adequate amounts are required to produce healthy eggs and sperm. It also supports follicle stimulating hormone, or FSH, production, which is necessary for healthy ovulation.
Additionally, zinc has been shown to improve sperm count, health, and motility. It helps maintain adequate testosterone levels in both men and women as well, which supports a healthy sex drive.
A variety of nuts and seeds are rich in zinc (many in this recipe) including pumpkin, hemp and sesame seeds as well as cashews, almonds and pine nuts.
Bottomline —
While these Pumpkin Spice Bliss Balls are an awesome option for both women AND men preparing to conceive, they’re also ideal for anyone looking to up their nutrient absorption in order to balance hormones, boost mood and look and feel their best (or just enjoy a tasty, seasonal treat).
If you make don’t forget to leave a comment below with any feedback and please pass along to friends or family who might enjoy this recipe or benefit from it’s health-optimizing properties!
Happy Fall y’all.
PS — Looking for more delicious recipes to support a healthy preconception, pregnancy + baby? Check out my Fertility Boosting Fundamentals Guide.
Fertility-Boosting Pumpkin Spice Bliss Balls
Cook time
0 hours 30 mins
Total time
0 hours 30 mins
These insanely easy + delicious pumpkin spice bliss balls crowd in a ton of nutrients to help naturally balance your hormones, boost your fertility and support a healthy menstrual cycle.
Cuisine: American
Method: chilling
Diet: paleo, grain-free, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, plant-based, refined-sugar-free, AIP, PCOS
Dish type: dessert, snack
Serves: 8-12 large balls
Ingredients
For the Balls:
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup raw pecans
- ½ cup dates, pitted & chopped
- ⅓ cup cashew butter
- ⅓ cup MCT or coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 servings (4 scoops) Bulletproof Collagen Protein Powder (use code FRIEND10 to save 10% off your first purchase)
- 1 ½ tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp sea salt
For the Pumpkin Maple Cashew Cream:
- ¼ cup nutpods Pumpkin Spice Creamer (use code SOFRESHNSOGREEEEEN to save 10% off your purchase)
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Optional Toppings:
- shredded coconut or coconut flakes
- more chopped walnuts or pecans
Preparation
Rate this recipe
Lauren Chambers is the Nutrition + Hormone Health Coach and Feel Good Food Blogger of sofreshnsogreen.com. She's on a mission to help you balance your hormones, boost your energy and improve your mood through food, so you can look and feel your best.
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