Dark Chocolate Energy Bites (Vegan)

Name: Dark Chocolate Energy Bites (Vegan)
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: World Cuisine
Ingredients: 1 cup packed pitted dates (Medjool is best, but I now use Deglet as they are less sweet); 1 cup hemp seeds (plus more for rolling) — I’ve played with this amount but upped it to 1 cup for the protein and other health benefits; 1/2 cup raw walnuts; 1/2 cup raw almonds; 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds; 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds; 6 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder (I used cocoa because it is chocolatey, but cacao is healthier); 1/4 tsp sea salt (don’t leave this ingredient out); 4 Tbsp smooth almond butter (or other nut or seed butter — I like how peanut butter tastes); 2 Tbsp avocado oil or melted coconut oil

6 steps

Prep:25min

Great with morning coffee or tea, as a snack, or a quick energy boost post workout.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 01:07:56 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories132 kcal (7%)

Total Fat10.2 g (15%)

Carbs8.2 g (3%)

Sugars4.5 g (5%)

Protein4.7 g (9%)

Sodium20.8 mg (1%)

Fiber2.3 g (8%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

28 servings

1 cuppitted dates

packed, Medjool is best, but I now use Deglet as they are less sweet

1 cuphemp seeds

plus more for rolling, I’ve played with this amount but upped it to 1 cup for the protein and other health benefits

½ cupraw walnuts

½ cupraw almonds

½ cupraw pumpkin seeds

½ cupraw sunflower seeds

6 Tbspcacao powder

or unsweetened cocoa powder, I used cocoa because it is chocolatey, but cacao is healthier

¼ tspsea salt

don’t leave this ingredient out

4 Tbspalmond butter

smooth, or other nut or seed butter — I like how peanut butter tastes

2 Tbspavocado oil

or melted coconut oil

Instructions

Step 1

Add dates to a food processor and pulse/mix until small bites remain or a ball forms.

Step 2

Add walnuts, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds to the food processor and pulse into a fine meal. Then add hemp seeds and pulse. Then add cocoa/cacao powder and sea salt. Pulse a few more times to combine. (Don't overmix or the nuts / seeds will turn into butter.)

Step 3

Add the almond / peanut butter and avocado oil (optional). Mix/pulse to combine. The result should be a moist dough-like mixture. If too wet, add a bit more cacao powder or hemp seeds.

Step 4

Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Then scoop out rounded Tablespoon amounts and carefully form into balls. The dough will be somewhat fragile, so use the warmth of your hands to gently form/roll them into balls. There should be about 28 energy bites total.

Step 5

Roll in extra hemp seeds or cacao powder (optional). Note: The bites get a fudgy, sticky outer texture when rolled in cacao powder. But for less sticky energy bites, stick with hemp seeds! (I did not roll mine in cacao)

Step 6

Store leftovers in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 1 month.