Wholesome bites to fuel you through!
Well, did that catch your eye? You might be wondering how you can plan for the unexpected? How do you know that an ‘event’ will occur? Well, planning and preparation in advance will always make anything unexpected much easier!
If, for example, you have your cupboards stocked with food… tinned chickpeas, or tinned fruit for example, you can get your protein and vitamin hit should you suddenly have no means to cook a meal. So, if we create some tasty snacks in advance, when we suddenly need something sweet to take our minds off whatever it is that unexpectedly happened, you’ll be glad!
An emergency!
Little did I know that only a few hours after making these, I would need them! Yes, today has not turned out as planned and I have enjoyed a few of these already! Long story short, my water is currently turned off! That means no washing up for a start! So my usual breakfast of chia pudding was definitely a no. Thankfully, I was prepared, and I was able to have a protein packed chocolate breakfast instead!
Unfortunately (or not), my water is still off, so lunch also had to be chocolate snacks! Haha, such a hardship!
The Nutty Chocolate Power Bites Recipe
The main ingredients in these are nuts, dates and cocoa powder. Hopefully, you can find them easily if they are items you are out of. Any nuts will work depending on your preferences. I have used cashews, almonds and walnuts in the recipe, then added peanut butter and peanuts to finish off. If you need a nut free version, sunflower or pumpkin seeds would also work. The dates you choose can really change this recipe! The softer the dates, the tastier the outcome – opt for plump juicy dates where possible. Feel free to make into any shape or size you wish, and roll or dust with spices, cocoa, nuts, seeds or coconut.
- 100 g dates (stones removed)
- 50-100 ml boiling water (depending on softness of dates)
- 100 g mixed nuts (I used 50g cashews, plus a mix of almonds and walnuts)
- 10 g cocoa powder (approx 1 rounded tablespoon)
- pinch of sea salt
- Peanut butter optional, for filling
- Extra cocoa powder crushed peanuts, or desiccated coconut (for rolling or decorating)
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Put the dates in a shallow heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water (enough to cover and depending on the softness) and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Once softened, slip off and discard as much of the skins as possible.
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Keeping the liquid, mash the dates into a loose paste (use a fork).
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Grind the nuts into fine breadcrumbs, then stir into the date paste.
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Sieve in the cocoa powder and mix well to form a thick, fudge-type dough. Add in the salt, then do a taste test.
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Place the mix in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
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Shape into balls, or press into a flat rectangle on baking paper.
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If you like, add a little peanut butter to the centre of each ball before sealing, or spread across the rectangle and roll up into a log (with the peanut butter in the centre).
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Finish by rolling in cocoa, crushed peanuts, or coconut, or press a peanut on top for decoration.
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Chill in the fridge until ready to eat. Alternatively store in the freezer for a firmer consistency.
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Serve & Enjoy!
What do I need?
Before you make these power bites, make sure you have the essentials on hand! If you’re new to no-bake recipes or just need a quick refresh, here are a few items you might find useful. These links go straight to Amazon, where you can browse and pick up anything you need. If you use them, Amazon may give us a small commission, which helps keep the website running… thank you!
No need for fancy equipment to make these power bites! You just need a small food processor, a couple of spoons, a bowl, a baking tray for storage, and your fingers to roll them up. Much appreciated!
Serving
Serve your power bites straight from the fridge (or freezer) on their own – slice or bite them!
Storing
Once you have made these, you can either store them in the freezer, or in the fridge. If storing in the freezer, allow to soften for a minute before eating. These will keep in the fridge for a week to ten days in an airtight container, or slightly longer (up to a month) in the freezer (they will become too hard if kept frozen too long).
Sharing
I hope you will make a few different varieties of these. Let me know what flavours you are making!
As always, I love hearing about any recipes of mine you try, any ideas you adapt or suggestions you have for future recipes. Please share and tag me @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or X.
Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!
I hope to speak with you soon
Laurena x
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