Having healthy treats for when that sweet tooth hits is SO CRUCIAL. I tend to get snacky at night, and to avoid eating omgeverythinginsight, I make little healthy snacks and treats to have on hand in the fridge and freezer. It’s SO helpful. Sometimes you just need that little bit of chocolate or bite of something sweet and these are PERFECT for those times.
They are naturally sweet from the dates, and they’re vegan and gluten free (as long as you use gf certified oats). These are even healthy enough for an afternoon snack, or for post workout when you need those immediate carbs and healthy fats before you can sit down to a meal. Pack them in your gym bag and take them to work! I keep a batch of all sorts of power and protein bites in my freezer so I can pull one out whenever I get a craving.
These are made in the food processor in less than 5 minutes. The only thing that takes a little time is rolling them into balls and rolling them in the cacao powder. You can also use cocoa powder, but I love using cacao. It has protein, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, and magnesium, and is a great raw antioxidant. You can find it at any health food store.
The other lovely thing about these healthy little truffles is that they’re only 100 calories a piece. No guilt and you’re getting a ton of vitamins and antioxidants!
Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread Truffles (v, gf)
Ingredients
- 1 c. packed Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 medium banana, mashed
- 1 c. walnuts
- 1/2 c. almonds
- 1/4 c. gluten free oats (can also use regular old fashioned)
- 1 T. cacao nibs
- 1 T. cacao powder + 1 T. for rolling
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
Instructions
- Combine walnuts, almonds, oats, cacao nibs, 1 T. of the cacao powder, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the ingredients are in small crumbs. Add dates, mashed banana, and vanilla and process until smooth and mixture is completely combined. (It might form into a large ball. That's good).
- Form mixture into balls and roll in remaining tablespoon of cacao powder. Mixture will be sticky, so you may have to wash your hands every so often.
- Refrigerate or freeze balls depending on how soon you plan on eating them. They'll keep for a week or week and a half in the fridge, and a couple months in the freezer!
What are your fave healthy snacks to keep on hand?
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