Mocha Hazelnut Energy Bites

 

I’ll never forget the first time I ate Nutella; it was three years ago at a resort in Mexico of all places. At the breakfast buffet there was the option of getting Nutella slathered into a warm crêpe (I guess they have to cater to us sugar-loving Americans). One bite in and I was in heaven. After arriving back in the states I checked out the nutrition label and realized why it tasted so absolutely addictive–sugar–and lots of it. While I’ve refrained from ever purchasing Nutella, or any other brands version of the hazelnut and chocolate spread, I absolutely love the combo of roasted hazelnuts and chocolate. It inspired my clean-eating Nutella and now these Mocha Hazelnut Bites.

 

I also love bite-sized treats, especially chocolate ones. These bites are fudgy, sweet, and have just a little bit of crunch from the toasted hazelnuts. Plus, almost all the sweetness comes from dates. Since dates are a fruit they make a great real food sweetener that doesn’t count toward the recommended daily sugar limit of 24 grams. But they are higher in calories, so portion control is still important. There is only a touch of added honey in the mix, so each bite only has 1 gram of added sugar!  Feel free to eat one whenever you get that mid-afternoon sugar craving, or as that little something sweet after dinner.

 

 

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{Mocha Hazelnut Bites}

Oats, dates, toasted hazelnuts, melted chocolate, and instant coffee all combine to create a fudgy snack that’s full of good-for-you ingredients. 

 

Servings: 24 bites

 

Ingredients

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup raw hazelnuts

1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tsp coconut oil

1 cup packed pitted Medjool dates (about 14)

2 tbsp raw honey

1 tsp instant coffee

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp water

 

 

Directions

In a blender or food processor, process oats into a fine flour. Combine oat flour, salt, cocoa, and chia seeds in a large bowl–set aside. Roast hazelnuts at 350F for 10 minutes. Remove skins by rubbing hazelnuts together in a towel. In a food processor or high powered blender, pulse roasted nuts until they resemble a course flour (a few larger pieces is fine, it adds texture). Stir hazelnuts into bowl with oat flour.

 

 

 

Melt chocolate and coconut in microwave. Combine melted chocolate, dates, honey, instant coffee, vanilla, and water in a food processor, and process into a paste. Combine date paste with nuts and oat mixture, and stir until mixed. Let mixture set up in fridge for 15 minutes. Form into 24 balls, and store at room temp or in the fridge.

 

 

 

Nutrition info per bite:  71 cal,  1 g fat, 15 g carb (only 1 g of added sugar per serving), 1 g protein, 2 g fiber

 

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