Brownie Nut Energy Bites
I’ve tasted a lot of so called “healthy” treats and haven’t been very impressed, that is until I played with this recipe and came up with a truly indulgent, no sugar added sweet. These two-bite wonders seriously taste like you’re eating a luscious ganache based truffle. They’re also versatile in that you can pick the nut butter & toasted nuts that you prefer. Each one contains 3g of fiber and 3g of protein. Expect them to disappear really quickly, especially if you to take them to the gym as a post-workout snack 🙂
1/2 Cup Raw Nuts (I love hazelnuts, but you could also use peanuts, pecans, walnuts or pistachios)
12 Whole Medjool Dates (buy them with the pit already removed)
2/3 Cup Nut Butter ( I use an almond/cashew blend but any variety would be delicious- creamy or chunky)
1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder-unsweetened
2 TBsp Water
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Salt
Your very first step is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Anytime you use nuts, I highly recommend you toast them first. It deepens the flavor and gives them better crunch. Spread the nuts on a sheet tray and toast for 10 minutes or until they start becoming fragrant. Let them cool. If you’re using hazelnuts with the skin still on, you’ll want to gather them in a couple paper towels and rub them vigorously together to remove the skins. Do this once they’ve cooled enough to handle.
Once the nuts have cooled down to room temperature, set aside 20 of them to be put into the center of each bite. In a food processor, pulse the remaining nuts until they are finely chopped. Set them aside in a small dish. Roughly chop the dates then pulse them in the food processor until they form a smooth paste. Add the nut butter, cocoa, water vanilla and salt. Process until smooth. Scrape the sides down if needed and keep blending if you see any lumps.
Remove the lid & blade then using a tablespoon scoop, portion the mixture out into 20 portions. Form a little assembly line with your portioned mixture, whole nuts and chopped nuts. Press a whole nut into the center of each then roll into a ball. The mixture will be oily from the nut butter, keep a couple paper towels handy. Once rolled, I like to pat a little of the excess oil off. I would also wipe your hands off occasionally as they will become coated with the oil.
Once you’ve rolled the ball drop it into your chopped nuts. I like to actually scoop up a handful of nuts around the ball and press them into it. If you just roll it in the nuts, they won’t stick, make sure to really press them in. Once you’ve formed and rolled all 20 balls, place them in an airtight container and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. They will keep for a week chilled in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
