I made these for a class I taught-and in a whirl of a food processor, they were done. That’s how easy this recipe is folks! Depending on how much crunch you still desire, you can pulse the processor just to break up the ingredients or blend finely, and create a smooth paste-like mixture. Your call! I like a little crunch, but they need to be processed long enough to break down some of the oils in the nuts to allow the bites to stick together.
I rolled the bites into dried shredded coconut and raw hemp seeds to mix it up a little. Raw Hemp Seeds are awesome, if you’ve never had them before. You can buy them on Amazon, or in your local health food store. They are great sources of plant-based protein and omega 3-fatty acids. They also add a nice color (they have a slight green tinge) and an extra smooth flavor. The perfect topping! Just like all seeds, they do go rancid quickly. Prevent this by storing them (and all nuts/seeds) in the freezer or fridge.
I think these bites make the perfect post-workout snack. The dates & cranberries/cherries provide a great way to replace carbs (without spiking your blood sugar) and the nuts add protein to rebuild muscle torn during a workout. There’s nothing refined in this recipe. The sweetness comes from the dates & dried cranberries or cherries, which provide natural sweetness, along with magnesium and iron. Be sure not to get cranberries/cherries dried with added sugars (I get my cranberries at our local food co-op and dry my own cherries). Often, the natural varieties are soaked in apple juice. When I dry my cherries at home, I add nothing. Dried fruits like dates, are a great alternative to any recipe calling for sugar. These bites are satisfying for a dessert or breakfast. You could mold them into bars if desired.
This recipe is adapted from a wonderful book, called Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed, by Bryant Terry. I kick up the spices in these bites, and roll them in some toppings to liven them up further. His book has some great flavors and ingredient mixtures in it. I highly recommend it! I usually double the recipe and have them on hand whenever I feel myself needing a boost!
Makes about 23 bites, or 47 when doubled (depending on how you roll):
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dates, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp sea salt (about a pinch)
- toppings: shredded raw coconut, raw hemp seeds
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until mixture comes together and can be pressed into a ball.
- Roll date/nut mixture into bite-sized shapes. If you moisten your hands, the mixture will stick to you less. As an alternative, you could shape these into small bars for something different.
- Roll into toppings if desired
- Place on freezer tray, freeze for a few hours until firm, and store
- These bites are great straight from the freezer, or fridge. They’re best served cold, but can be room temp too. I love them as a post-workout snack, dessert, or fast, grab-and-go breakfast treat.
Nutritional Benefits:
- Source of fiber-good for satiety, lowering cholesterol, improving digestive function
- Good source of plant-based protein; great for healing and repairing tissues
- Good source of magnesium; important for bone health and proper heart function
- Dates-great source of iron and magnesium
- Nutrient dense, plant-based, gluten and oil free-all helps to decrease inflammation in the body
- While these contain fat (4 g/bite); the fat is a whole food form of fat and is better processed by the body. These, and all plant-based foods, contain no cholesterol and are very low in saturated fat (virtually none)
- 1 cup dates, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained
- ½ cup dried cranberries or cherries, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained
- 1 cup raw almonds
- ½ cup raw pecans
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp sea salt (about a pinch)
- toppings: shredded raw coconut, raw hemp seeds
- Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until mixture comes together and can be pressed into a ball.
- Roll date/nut mixture into bite-sized shapes. If you moisten your hands, the mixture will stick to you less. As an alternative, you could shape these into small bars for something different.
- Roll into toppings if desired
- Place on freezer tray, freeze for a few hours until firm, and store
- These bites are great straight from the freezer, or fridge. They're best served cold, but can be room temp too. I love them as a post-workout snack, dessert, or fast, grab-and-go breakfast treat.
[…] These date and nut bites are a healthy, nutrient-packed dessert you can munch on anytime or even take on the go. Get the recipe here. […]