We’ve made a number of energy bites on the blog before, but these might take the cake. Or the brownie? Either way, these brownie bites are incredibly delicious.
My very first no-bake brownies can be found here, which were inspired by the super-talented Sarah at My New Roots.
What you need to know: 7 whole food ingredients, one food processor, 15 minutes required; refined sugar-free; tastes like dessert; rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids; your friends and family will be in awe of your majestic healthy dessert-making abilities. Let’s do this!
Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are packed with nutrition and offer a variety of health benefits:
- Rich in vitamins and minerals, including B1, B2, B3, B6, folate, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, iron, and potassium.
- Excellent source of essential fatty acids (including alpha-linolenic acid, an important anti-inflammatory fat known as the plant omega-3).
- Contains all of the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein).
- It is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a moistening laxative and is found in a variety of different formulations used to support health.
Health Benefits of Walnuts
Do you know how walnuts are shaped like little brains? Well, some say that means they’re good for brain health!
We aren’t sure that’s quite enough evidence to prove they’re good for you, but let’s explore what research says about the health benefits of walnuts.
- Rich source of essential fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid (that’s the anti-inflammatory fat found in hemp seeds, too)
- Full of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, B6, folate, copper, phosphorous, and manganese
- Contains a variety of antioxidants, including ellagic acid, catechin, and melatonin.
- Have shown benefits in a variety of conditions, including human studies showing improvement in cardiovascular risk, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), diabetes, and cognitive performance
How to Make These Brownie Bites
To make these brownie bites, add your hemp seeds and walnuts to a food processor. Then add dates for binding and sweetness, cacao or cocoa powder for chocolaty brownie flavor, almond butter for richness and more binding, and a pinch of sea salt and vanilla for good measure. Then, blend into a clumpy dough.
Then, roll into balls. And say hello to super simple and decadent brownie bites! Enjoy as is or roll in cocoa or cacao powder for an even more intensely chocolaty treat.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup Medjool dates (~14 dates, measured after pitting //If dry, soak in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry)
- 1/4 cup organic cacao or cocoa powder, plus more for rolling (or sub carob for chocolate-free / caffeine-free)
- 3 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped raw walnuts
- 1 1/2 Tbsp almond butter (creamy salted // or sub other nut or seed butter of choice)
- 1 pinch sea salt (use more or less depending on the saltiness of nut butter)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- To a food processor, add pitted dates, cocoa or cacao powder, hemp seeds, walnuts, almond butter (or other nut/seed butter), salt, and vanilla. Note: If you don’t have a food processor, you can try using a blender, but dates can be notoriously tough for blenders due to their sticky nature, so use a low speed if possible and pulse instead of blending.
- Pulse until the mixture is well blended and starts to clump together (~30 seconds – 1 minute). If it’s too dry or crumbly and it doesn’t stick together when pressed between two fingers, add more nut butter or pitted dates (ensure your dates are sticky and fresh, or it will only further dry out the mixture.)
- Scoop out 1 1/2 Tbsp amounts (we love this scoop) and gently roll into balls. As the original recipe is written, ~14 balls.
- Enjoy immediately as is, or roll in extra cocoa, cacao, or carob powder for a different chocolaty exterior. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 month (often longer). Let’s come close to room temperature before enjoying the best texture (in our opinion).