Who is Bean, and why is she making brownie bites?
Fuelled by Cadbury’s for most of my life, family and friends know they can depend on me for a good dessert featuring a solid hit of chocolate. I spent much of high school making chocolate chip cookies to share with family, friends, and favourite teachers 🙂 Given the nickname “Bean” in grade 13, it seemed appropriate, since the cocoa variety was running through my veins!
True to the Canadian part of my heritage, Nanaimo Bars rank as my top, uncontested #1 sweet treat. Tied for second place: chewy chocolate chip cookies, and dense, fudgy brownies (with nuts!) To eat with a fork, devilishly dark chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream icing. Move over, apples; chocolate is my one-a-day!
Committed to milk chocolate in my early days, my tastes now have me savouring dark chocolate for general eating, and always in my baking. In the best interest of my heart and waistline, I’ve created an energy bite that includes dark cocoa powder supported by a line-up of equally healthy ingredients. I know people are “dated-out” by now, with energy bites that use them as a main ingredient. I am, too. Prunes have made their way into more and more of my energy bites as of late. Not entirely as the main ingredient, but as an equally strong supporting cast member.
If you’re looking to add a new recipe to your energy bite rotation, give these a go. With antioxidant rich cocoa and honey; fibre-filled prunes and dates; calcium in the sesame paste and seeds; omega 3s in the walnuts, flax and chia seeds, you’ve got yourself quite the powerhouse here! Rolling them in sesame seeds seemed like a natural extension of the tahini I used to add to the flavour profile inside the bite.
Cocoa, jelly, jumping… with the nickname Bean, I’m in good company. Get on board with a healthy bite that’s good, and good for you!
For the energy bites, you will need:
- 1-1/2 cups walnuts, toasted, and very finely chopped
- 12 pitted prunes
- 6 medjool dates, pits removed
- 5 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, for rolling
Directions
- Measure the walnuts into your food processor and pulse until they are well broken down. A fine meal makes it easier for rolling.
- Add the prunes and dates and pulse again until they are combined with the nuts.
- Add the remaining ingredients and whiz around until the mixture is combined and, when pressed together, sticks!
- Roll into bite-size balls and swirl around in the sesame seeds. This mixture makes between 12-14 energy bites, depending on how big you roll them.
- Store in a glass container, in the fridge, for four days, or in the freezer for a few weeks.