After a long day of class, I was tired, cranky, and really craved something that would satisfy my sweet tooth. I ventured into Kale on my way home, a macrobiotic/organic/vegan restaurant located north of Yonge/Eglinton, since they always have delicious baked goods and desserts like blueberry-tofu-spelt muffins (can’t taste the tofu!), coconut cookies, and carob-almond pudding. After taking a long look at my options (everything was calling out to me!), I finally settled on getting their banana-carob-coconut ball. They were ah-mazing, but at $1.50 per timbit sized piece, I decided to forgo buying them again and vowed to make them myself. And make them I did! Before I get into the recipe, let’s explore the origins and uses of the caramel-y and chocolate-y tasting pod called carob…
Carob evergreen trees (Ceratonia siliqua) have been around for over 4000 years and originate from Eastern Mediterranean regions. Carob belongs to the pea family, with sweet peas, soy beans, and peanuts being some of its family members. Carob has a bean-like shape, and its pod was eaten raw throughout history by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Prior to the introduction and wide availability of sugarcane and sugar beets, carob was used as a primary source of sugar. When the carob pod is ground, it becomes a dark brown powder, similar to cocoa. Although carob is often used as a substitute for cocoa/chocolate in recipes, carob powder is naturally sweeter than cocoa, lacks cocoa’s signature bitter taste, does not contain caffeine or theobromine (pet owners rejoice – safe for cats/dogs and often used for pet treats), is naturally lower in fat than cocoa powder, and contains more calicum.
Carob has also had a long, exciting, and rich history. Also known as “St. John’s Bread” or “locust”, carob has biblical ties, as it has been said to have been munched on by John the Baptist during his trek in the wilderness, and has been also been linked to the prodigal son. History also suggests that Mohammed’s armies, and other troops during wartime ate carob to avoid malnutrition.
The term “carat” or “karat” originates from the word Ceratonia Siliqua. Since carob seeds (found inside the pods) are very uniform in size, shape, and weight, carob seeds became the standard measure of gold’s purity (1 carob seed (0.015g) = 1 carat (0.015g), 24 carob seeds = 24 carat (100% gold)). Carob further demonstrates its versatility as it is often used as a thickener or binding agent. In the past, Egyptians used carob seed gum as a adhesive to mummify their dead. Today, we often see carob bean gum used as a stabilizer in food, cosmetic products, pharmaceuticals, and paints (etc).
As a food, carob contains a wealth of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, B, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, copper, nickel, and chromium. Carob’s antibiotic properties battle and limit bacterial growth, and when you’re stomach feels upset or you are feeling nauseous, carob can help alleviate these symptoms. So, when you are longing for something sweet and want to avoid caffeine, go ahead and use carob as a substitute. As promised…here is my interpretation of how to make raw carob-banana-coconut balls. They are quick, easy, fun to make and are a satisfyingly sweet treat for all ages! No oven required.
Raw Coconut Carob Balls (Time: 15 minutes, Makes 18)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup carob powder
- 1/2 cup raw honey (or agave nectar)
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup cooking dates
- 1 banana
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup puffed millet
Method:
- In a food processor, blend together banana, dates, and walnuts until it is a paste.
- In a large bowl – mix carob powder, honey, sesame seeds, millet together
- Add the blended mixture into the large bowl
- Form mixture with hands into bite size balls (you can put mixture in fridge for a few minutes to make it easier to mold)
- Coat with shredded coconut (either by rolling carob balls in a plate with coconut shreds; or shake carob balls in a ziploc bag with coconut shreds).
- Refrigerator for 1 hour
- Enjoy!
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Wow, I’ve never once heard of carob before. And it seems like a healthy and better alternative to cocoa chocolate!? Why isn’t this being used more often instead of chocolate??!
It’s importance in history is also highly neglected. The association between carob and the term “carat” for gold measurement may even highlight the importance of carob in ancient times. Interesting how this ancient bean may come back into fashion!
The last time I had carob was possibly 10 years ago, I did not like it. It was in a vegan cake that tasted like cardboard. I will give it another try; your post gave it a bit more potential.
Carob vs. cocoa as a powder – carob wins in terms of being sweeter naturally, lower in fat, and no caffeine – so I guess some would argue the healthier option. But apparently when carob and cocoa are turned into candy form, a “carob bar” or “chocolate bar”, the total fat and calorie content become relatively similar due to the oils/fats they use to bind things together :) And cocoa still does have lots of beneficial properties too, so don’t be afraid to used them both interchangeably in baking!
Hahah, N, I’m sorry your vegan carob cake tasted like cardboard! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that your next encounter will be much better :)
Dear Wei, I love your little foodie blogs!
Can’t wait to try some of them out.
I’ve just discovered carob this past year and I think a favourite snack C and I love is a carob coated dried banana. I’ve also tried my first real cacao hot chocolate made with only cacao powder and coconut milk – delish!
mmm you and C always have such good ideas! I will definitely try your carob banana. I like frozen bananas with cacao powder and some coconut shreds. Oh and I am going to try your coconut milk and chia seed tapioca recipe too…how long do you need to leave the chia in there for before it’s ready to eat?