Go Dairy Free | Mocha Fudge Vegan Energy Bites

Alisa Fleming ~ Whether detoxing from the holiday festivities, fighting crowds on boxing day, cleaning up after the celebration, or heaven-forbid, heading right back to work for the daily grind ... odds are, you could use a little pick me up!

Last week, when the holidays began kicking in, I found myself reaching for handfuls of chocolate chips before 10am. I was running on empty, and my subconscious was taking over, reaching for sugar. When I started paying attention, rather than stop the deviant behavior (it is the holidays after all!), I thought, why not just work with the craving by adding a little nutrition? Some nuts, some dates, and oh ... how about a little caffeine (good for circulation, right?), and these rich little mocha-inspired, fudgy snacks were born.

I used to think that date-based truffles were out of reach, only for those who had food processors or high powered blenders. But then I started wondering, what did all of the women do before these modern conveniences came along and they wanted to make a date paste? And wouldn't you know it, once softened in some hot water, dates are almost as easy to mash as bananas - nothing but a fork required!

The recipe below can easily be adjusted to suit your tastes since it is such a simple no bake recipe. You can increase or decrease the coffee for a more or less intense mocha hit, add some extra sweetener if desired, or even use dark or unsweetened chocolate if you are fortunate enough to not have a sweet tooth.

Recipe: Mocha Fudge Energy Bites

Summary: This is my "by hand" method, but even if using a blender or food processor, I recommend grinding the nuts in advance in a spice grinder to yield a finer powder and less chunks. Your choice!

Ingredients

40 Grams Dates (about 2 large, pitted medjool dates)
1/4 Cup Dairy-Free Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Ounce Raw Cashews (scant 1/4 cup)
1/4 Teaspoon Instant Coffee (I used Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Instant Coffee)
5 Drops Vanilla Stevia (I used NuNaturals Alcohol-Free Liquid Vanilla Stevia)
Shredded coconut, ground nuts, or coarse sugar for coating.

Instructions

Soak the dates in boiling water to soften.
Melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl (I use the microwave in 2 to 3 30-second intervals, whisking vigorously between each interval)
Grind the cashews into a powder in a spice grinder.
Drain the dates and mash them like you would a banana.
Add the cashew powder, mashed dates, coffee, and stevia to the melted chocolate and stir until everything is well combined.
Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and then roll them in coconut, ground nuts, or coarse sugar to coat.
Chill in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (15 mintes).
Pop out for an energy boost when you need it!

Notes

Store these in the refrigerator or freezer to keep them nice and firm. I like them out of the freezer, because that's just how I roll.

Variations

For the variation pictured, I patted the mixture into a small, greased dish, chilling them for just 10 minutes. I then cut into squares and coated them in coconut, pressing a few coarsely chopped pistachios for a seasonal touch.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 1 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy free, Egg free, Gluten free, Peanut free, Wheat free, optionally Soy free (depending on your chocolate chips)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Article, recipe, and photos by Alisa Fleming, founder of GoDairyFree.org and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. Alisa is also a freelance writer for several publications and recipe creator for the natural food industry, with an emphasis on special diets.

Mocha Fudge Energy Bites - Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free