raw brownie bites

I guess you could call this the no-bake chocolate fudge brownie revisited, and I added nuts this time! They taste a ton better with the nuts, and are very addicting. The sweetness of the dates isn't as overpowering, and these brownie bites taste somewhat like dark chocolate truffles. The natural sweetness and raw bitterness create a caramel-like dark chocolate goodness reminiscent of fudge--just without the sugar and ensuing guilt.


Dates are so wonderful. I love using them with cocoa powder, but they can also be used as alternatives for artificial sweeteners in many other recipes that I have yet to try. Though I personally find them too sweet to snack on, they have no fat or cholesterol, are loaded with fiber, rich in potassium, and they help lower blood pressure and protect against cancer. Definitely a super fruit or something of the sort.

I'll probably be making a lot more of these once I finish them. They're just so yummy and addicting, plus anything bite-size is cute and bound to be delicious. I felt a bit artistic when I made these, as if I were working with clay. Maybe I should have sculpted something from the brownie mixture instead of just rolling them into ordinary balls. 

Raw Brownie Bites

adapted from rabbitfoodformybunnyteeth
yields 12 servings (I made more because I made mine smaller)

Ingredients: 
1 cup pitted Medjool dates
1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup almonds (I used slivered blanched almonds, but I'm pretty sure whole almonds would work fine too)
6 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 tbs vanilla extract

Directions:
- Blend the sunflower seeds and almonds in a food processor until it becomes finely ground but does not a nut butter consistency.  
- Add in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract and blend until incorporated.
- Soak the dates in water for easy seed removal. Then roughly chop up the dates and add them into the food processor and blend until the mixture becomes dough-like.
- The dough should not be sticky or crumbly, and should be easy to work with. Scoop the dough by the tablespoon and roll them into balls and enjoy! You can store them in the refrigerator for about a week or the freezer for a month.