Raw Cocoa Bites, aka little energy nuggets. Seriously, pop a couple in your mouth before heading out for a hike, or any type of exercise you’re planning, and you’ll have a lot of energy, more than enough to get you to the top. Plus they’re lightweight and easy to pack. You’ve maybe seen something similar around the web or wrapped up in pretty packaging and sold at health food stores, either way, if you haven’t made or tired them yet, you’re missing out.
We’ve been working long weekends and traveling quite a bit for work this month and I always pack a batch of these. I’ve been playing around with different variations, but I always come back to the ones with cocoa in them, I just can’t break my chocolate habit! Plus now that summer is here, they’re a great alternative to cookies because you don’t have to heat up the oven. My tip for trying your hand at your own flavor combos would be to have an equal ratio of dried fruit to raw nuts. Then start with a tablespoon or two of added flavors, like coconut flakes, seeds, or cocoa, and season with a few extras like, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa nibs, or even fresh herbs (mint perhaps?). Have fun with it!
ingredientsblended raw cocoa bites
Raw Cocoa Bites / makes 12-14 balls
1 cup pitted dates, soaked for 10 minutes and drained
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup cocoa or cocao powder
1 tablespoon flax seed
Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor and blend until crumbly, just before it gets to almond butter stage. Add the walnuts, coconut, cocao powder, and flax seeds and blend until just incorporated.
Next add the dates. You can add them all at once or drop them one at a time through the feed tube, depending on how powerful your food processor is. Blend until the mixture starts holding together and becomes almost a whole mass. The flax seeds will still be whole, but the rest should be well mixed in.
Shape into about 1-inch balls (they may feel a little oily from the nut oils released, this is normal). Place on a plate and set in the fridge to chill, about 15 minutes. You can also place them in the freezer too, they don’t harden to much.