Grain free, Refined sugar free, Dairy free, Nut free option*, Egg free
Chocolate date balls SOUND really decadent, and they are (sweet food should always be a rare treat if you want to keep the pathogenic bacteria and fungii like candida at bay), but they are also a really good source of that ever elusive mineral that is deficient in most people these days: MAGNESIUM. Dates are one of the highest sources of magnesium in our food, followed by cocoa! Magnesium is a critical mineral: it supports our muscles and our bone health, and kids in particular use a lot of magnesium just because they are growing. These treats are also high in protein, so a perfect lunchbox snack. If you, or your school, is a nut-free zone, then see the alternative option below.
Ingredients:
1 cup pitted Medjool Dates
1 cup raw nuts (Almonds, Macadamias, Walnuts or Cashews)*
2 T organic Cocoa
3 drops Orange Oil (This is optional, if you use this, you will have Jaffa Date Balls…)
*If you want a nut free option, use 1 cup of organic coconut flakes instead of nuts.
Instructions:
Once the dates have been pitted, process them with the nuts, cocoa and orange oil on high speed in a food processor with a steel blade, until they turn to a rough paste (Thermomix speed 9, 10 seconds).
Remove from the bowl and roll the paste into lots of balls, about 3cm in diameter, or bigger if you like.
Once you have rolled all the balls, you can roll them in chopped almonds, or shredded organic coconut, or even cocoa, to make them look fancy. Or just serve them exactly as they are.
Place them into a container and let them sit in the fridge to set harder. Once they have hardened, you can keep them in a sealed container in the cupboard indefinitely, which means about 2 days, which is how long they last in this house…
Tip: These are a fantastic party food, but they are also excellent for lunchboxes as a protein snack that is high in magnesium. If your child’s schools have a nut-free policy, or your child is allergic to nuts, just use the coconut flakes option instead!
