Cinnamon Bun Balls with Cream Cheese Frosting

A quick note on soy…

There has been an ongoing campaign to paint soy in a healthy light for years, but unless you’re having fermented versions of soy, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Health effects

Here are just a couple of health effects that have been linked to eating soy:

• Thyroid disorders
• Immune system impairment
• Breast cancer
• Brain damage
• Danger during pregnancy and nursing
• Infant abnormalities
• Diminish testosterone and libido [males]
• Kidney stones
• Severe, potentially fatal food allergies
• Impaired fertility

Components of soy

Soy is found in soy cheese, soy yogurt, infant formula, spray oils, vegetarian burgers, bottled salad dressings, chocolate, cookies, protein bars & powders, processed foods, and is [usually] the main source of protein in the vegetarian diet.

Organic, or not, what components are in soy that make it unhealthy?

• GMO. Between 90-95% of soy in North America is genetically modified to decrease the cost of production. The genetic modification of soy alters the genes to make it resistant against the pesticide roundup, making them roundup ready. This allows farmers to spray their crops with roundup, killing all plants, allowing their roundup ready seeds to flourish. The health effects seen with GMO products have been known to cause damage and harm to 2nd and 3rd generations, making them infertile and sterile.
• Goitrogens. Are anti-nutrients that block the products of the thyroid hormone, a hormone that a very important role in the regulation of your metabolism.
• Phytoestrogens. Soy can contain 20,000 times more phytoestrogens than birth control.
• Phytates or phytic acid. Prevent the absorption of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, and zinc [these are key elements for our bodies enzyme functions].

The healthful approach

There is a silver lining in all of this. Fermented soy products.

The fermentation of soy degrades the unhealthful elements. In fact, fermented soy is one of the best foods you can give you body. These include:

• Nato [found in Asian food stores - high in vitamin K]
• Miso [found in health food stores - make amazing soups and snacks]
• Tempeh [also found in health food stores - can be prepared just as you would tofu]

What better time to chat about the health effects of soy than when your recipe calls for a bit of it [vegan cream cheese frosting]?

I swear there is a purpose to this. It’s to explain that we have to make decisions that are right for us. I avoid soy by treating it like an allergy, I avoid it at all costs, but every now and again I give myself a little taste. In the grand scheme of things [for me] this is okay! So, when I do indulge in a bit of soy, I make sure it counts!

And this recipe made it worth the wait. Here’s to another 2-3 months without soy!

Cinnamon Bun Balls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Yeast free

Enjoy cinnamon buns without the hassle of waiting for the dough to rise, or kneading forever. Best served warm with cream cheese frosting, it’s the perfect breakfast or sweet snack.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 2 tbsp arrowroot powder/flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan rock salt
• 6 medjool dates
• 5 tbsp almond milk – I used Almond Breeze unsweetened original
• 2 flax eggs – 2 tbsp freshly ground flax mixed with 6 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• Cream cheese frosting (I added 3 tbsp of almond milk to thin it out)

Cinnamon sugar:

• 1/4 cup raw or unprocessed sugar – I used demerara but sucanat would work too!
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp coconut oil, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat.
2. Prepare flax eggs – grind flax in coffee grinder, processor, or blender until made into a powder. Mix in water and set aside.
3. Combine rice flours, arrowroot, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. In a blender, pulse dates and almond milk. Remove from blender and place in a small bowl.
5. Add flax eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla to date mixture. Use electric mixture to fully combine.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix and combine until incorporated.
7. Roll dough into balls a bit smaller than golf balls. Press your pinky into the middle of the ball [make sure not to go all the way through!]. This is where the cinnamon sugar will go.
8. To make the cinnamon sugar filling, combine all ingredients until incorporated.
9. Fill each “pinky hole” with cinnamon sugar and place hole down on the cookie sheet.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or toothpick inserted comes out clean. [Mine took 17 minutes]
11. Serve immediately with cream cheese frosting and extra cinnamon sugar drizzled over top. [Extra frosting can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months]

Makes 20 bite sized cinnamon balls!

Do you have a lot of soy products in your house?

Do you avoid soy? Or do you feel there are larger health culprits in your life to deal with?

Sources:

New Zealand Medical Journal (Volume 113, Feb 11, 2000)

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry September 2001

Non-GMO Shopping Guide

Journey to optimum wellness through sound nutrition

Tagged as: cinnamon, cinnamon buns, cream cheese icing