These have both non-dairy chocolate chips and raw cacao powder. Feel free to mix it
up and create your own. I keep them in the freezer, so it’s like eating a
frozen Snickers bar! These amounts are very approximate since I don’t measure,
but it’s hard to go wrong!

Ingredients

·       8-10 large Medjool dates (I like to buy those with
pits; they stay softer longer)

·       Approximately ¼ cup non-dairy chocolate chips

·       1/3 cup nuts (pecans, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, pistachios)

·       1 to 2 tsp raw cacao powder or cocoa powder

·       Big Spoonful of any nut butter, about ¼ cup

·       Pinch of salt, optional

·       Capful of vanilla

Optional add-ins:

·       Shredded coconut, Goji berries, raisins, craisins, dried cherries, dried apricots

·       Seeds like sesame, chia, hemp, sunflower, ground flax

·       Rolled oats (can replace some of the cacao)

·       Cinnamon, vanilla or Maca powder

Directions

If using dates with the pits, use a paring knife to make a lengthwise cut down the date in order to pull open and expose/remove the pit. Remove any little stems that may be on one end. Roughly chop up the dates and add to food processor. Add all other ingredients and process until well mixed, about 30 seconds or so. Test to make sure the mix can be formed into a ball; if not, add a little bit more nut butter. Using clean hands, spoon 1-2 Tbs of the “dough” into your hands and form into balls. You can also mix dough by hand in a bowl if you don’t have a
 food processor; The Vitamix does not work well for these. Leave in a ball, or press into a mini muffin pan and top with half a pecan or walnut, and freeze.

Notes:

·       Try Enjoy Life or Trader Joe’s 72% cacao chips, or sometimes I find 85% dark chips—the dates are sweet enough for the very dark chocolate. I recommend not using anything less than 72%. You can also use cocoa nibs instead, or just a bit more cacao powder.

·       Be careful not to go overboard on the cacao powder or they may taste chalky. If this happens, just add more of the other ingredients and pulse again.

·       Find the Medjool dates in the produce section; they are far superior than Deglet
dates, and can stay in your pantry a long time. If dates are stiff, soak them
in hot water a few minutes. Be sure to remove the pits! Also, very occasionally you may cut into one
and see some brown/black dust. This is mold; just toss those out; don’t worry,
it doesn’t happen very often.

·     TRY STUFFED DATES. No time to get out the food processor? Simply split the top of the date lengthwise, remove the pit and stuff the date with nut butter and a 3 or 4 non-dairy chocolate chips or half a pecan or walnut. In the Mideast, they stuff the date with raw honey and a generous dose of cinnamon—yum!