Erin's Chewy-Gooey Date Energy Bites
Not To Get Mushy On You, But...
I love dates! Although I'm always down for a romantic, candle-lit dinner with the hubs, that's not the kind of date I'm talking about here. Dates are a super sweet, not-so-guilty indulgence that'll have you wondering how in the world there isn't any added sugar in them. These delectable chewy-gooey morsels have a flavor similar to caramel, and make a great replacement for refined table sugar in baked goods and double as the perfect sweetener in smoothies.
It's A Date!
The date palm produces these small, tropical stone-fruits that are packed with simple sugars which the body can easily convert into energy, making them a fantastic bite-size, pre-workout snack. Dates also contain high amounts of fiber and are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, potassium, and B-vitamins, but the best part is, they are literally nature's candy. Who needs chemical-laced energy drinks and bars loaded with refined sugars when you've got dates?! Enter, the date ball:
If you were in my Sunday morning spin class at FLY, then you got to try a couple of these bad boys, and I promised the recipe was coming soon--so here it is!
Erin's Chewy-Gooey Date Energy Bites
vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, refined-sugar-free, dairy-free
Grab your food processor or high-speed blender and with just 3 ingredients, you'll have the perfect bite-size snack that's sure to satisfy any sweet tooth, without the addition of any refined sugar! While dates are perfectly good just by themselves, blending in nuts is a great way to get your daily dose of healthy fats. Both dates and nuts are high in calories, so one or two of these date bites will do the trick to give you the energy you need before a workout, and they also make a great on-the-go snack or a healthy dessert option!
ingredients
2 cups dates
2 cups walnuts (or nut of choice)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
method
Remove pits from dates. This step is crucial! Also feel free to soak your dates beforehand if they don't feel fairly soft to the touch.
Add dates and walnuts to food processor and let run for a minute or so, until the dates and walnuts combine and become gooey. (See photo above for a desirable consistency).
Pour shredded coconut on a plate, roll "dough" into about tablespoon size balls and roll in coconut until covered.
Pop in freezer until firmed up, then pop in mouth and savor!
extras
try rolling date balls in other toppings, such as cacao powder/nibs, hemp seeds, and chia seeds
add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, or vanilla extract during the food processor stage
incorporate other fruits or veggies such as apple or carrot
Save The Date!
Your chewy-gooey date energy balls should save for a few weeks in the refrigerator and several weeks in the freezer. If you have any leftover dates, those can also be stored for several months in a cool area or in the refrigerator, as well!
Have a ball! (pun-intended). Play around with this basic recipe and add in your own personal favorite fruits, veggies, or toppings--the options are endless! Leave a comment and let me know what date energy bite combination energizes you!
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