Last updated on April 25th, 2022 at 05:58 pm
Enjoy these antioxidant double chocolate energy bites for an easy healthy snack or a quick no bake chocolate dessert that you can easily meal prep on the weekend.
Something’s definitely wrong with me lately, because 1) I am a hypochondriac and 2) I’m wanting to eat chocolate ALL THE TIME. I’m using all caps, so you know it’s serious. I never really buy regular chocolate, but I’ve been eating whole milk Lindt and no pain shooting from my tooth down to my spine, no dairy intolerance or just plain guilt can stop me. Before you come at me with the whole: no food guilt and food freedom and all those made-up terms…just don’t, I don’t care. It’s one thing to be depriving yourself of actual food and nutrients and feeling bad about eating a banana and another to knowingly be spiking your blood sugar on a regular basis when everyone in your family has diabetes. So…that’s my 10 cents about food guilt, tax and inflation included.
So, no time – want something sweet – Lindt. Not anymore! I started making these so much healthier, rich and famous double chocolate balls! If you want to actually get some nutrients from what you eat and not just from supplements, if you’re watching your blood sugar – then these are a wonderful option!
They’re vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free and actually an excellent source of antioxidants.
Double Chocolate Energy Bites
Here’s what’s inside these energy bites and why they’re so great for you:
Prunes. Dried plums aka prunes are a fantastic source of antioxidants! Some studies suggest they have one of the highest levels of phenolic compounds and show the highest free radical scavenging activity among most of the fruits that we eat. Plums can benefit your bone, brain, gut and cardiovascular health. (source)
Cocoa and Dark Chocolate. Cacao, cocoa, whatever you call it – it’s a good source of fiber, potassium, magnesium. But what makes it really impressive are the phenolics and flavonoids inside! These are special, non-essential, yet powerful antioxidants that can reduce inflammatory processes in your body and benefit your skin, cardiovascular and overall health. (source)
Oats. I don’t think there are many people who haven’t heard at least 10 good things about oats…”Just put some oats on it, it will be healthier”. Did that and boosted my intake of the multitalented fiber beta-glucan and a unique type of antioxidants called avenanthramides. Oats can benefit your gut and your metabolic health. (source)
Walnuts and almond butter. Nuts like walnuts and almonds can enrich your diet with several essential micronutrients like potassium, folate and magnesium as well as fiber, polyphenols and important unsaturated fatty acids. Eating nuts regularly is linked to reduced risk of diabetes, improved cardiovascular health, and weight loss / maintenance. (source)
How To Make Double Chocolate Energy Bites
Before we get started, go back in time and soak those prunes for about 30 minutes.
Now, use your immersion blender and add walnuts, prunes, cacao and oats to a deep bowl or the immersion blender cup, then blend until you get a sticky non-chunky chocolatey mixture. Some chunks are okay.
Scoop the mixture and make balls using your wet hands. You can use a scoop or a tbsp and not just grab mixture with your hands from the blender cup like an animal…aka what I did to end up with these precious creations that vary in size considerably.
Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds and mix it with the almond butter.
Roll the chocolate balls in the melted chocolate until they’re well covered everywhere!
Sprinkle some ground or very thinly chopped nuts of choice and refrigerate for about 45 minutes or until the chocolate firms up!
How To Store These Energy Balls
Best in the fridge or in the freezer! They should stay good for about 5-6 days in the fridge.
I hope you enjoy this tasty healthy snack idea!
More Healthy Snack Ideas
Yield: 8 balls
Antioxidant Double Chocolate Energy Bites
Enjoy these antioxidant double chocolate energy bites for an easy healthy snack or a quick no bake chocolate dessert that you can easily meal prep on the weekend.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- 5 dried prunes or dates, soaked for 20-30 minutes
- 2 tsp cacao
- 3 tbsp gluten free oats
- 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate
- 1 tsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp ground walnuts for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Use your immersion blender and cup to process the walnuts with prunes (or dates), cacao and oats until a sticky mixture forms. You can also try using a food processor or a blender to make these. I always find the immersion blender the best option for energy bites.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds and mix it with the almond butter.
- Use a scoop or a tbsp to scoop out the mixture and roll into balls with your wet hands.
- Dip each ball into the melted chocolate, so that it’s fully covered in chocolate. Place onto a plate or a sheet lined with parchment paper. Optionally you can sprinkle some ground walnuts over the balls.
- Refrigerate for about 45 minutes and enjoy immediately or store in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 97Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g
