Ronnie's Awesome List presents a guest article by Vanessa Silva, Founder of Culinary Artistas offering cooking classes, camps, birthday parties and other celebrations in the historic Ghirardelli Square.

Enjoy this simple and celebratory recipe that is kid friendly and will fill your Valentine with love! No cooking! No refined sugars! And it has chocolate and roses all rolled into one! Our version has no nuts, so we can include those kids that are allergic. Spread the love with these perfect handmade treats to give to friends, family, teachers and neighbors. 

Ingredients

• 10 dates pitted
• Scant 1/2 cup oats
• Scant 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seed butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tsp of rose water
• 2 Tbsp dried rose petals (edible)
• 1 Tbsp dried coconut (shredded or grated)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the rose petals with 1 Tbsp dried coconut in the food processor and pulse a few times until the petals are broken into small pieces but not pulverized. Set aside in a bowl for later.

2. Place all the other ingredients into a food processor and pulse until everything is in small bits and a loose dough forms. The dough is ready when you can squeeze it in your hands it holds its shape, if too dry and a little more seed butter, and if way too crumbly add a few more dates.

3. Making even pieces of the dough, squeeze and then roll into balls. Press and roll each ball in the coconut and rose petal mixture. Optional covers may be just coconut, cocoa, pistachios, sesame, or a mix of those.

4. Place them in the freezer to keep for a month, or in the fridge for quicker use. 

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Vanessa Silva is the founders of Culinary Artistas. Stop by the San Francisco studio in the historic Ghirardelli Square, online, or connect with her on Instagram or Facebook.