Do you love sweets?  Do you like to feel energized?  Do you like to be able to enjoy something that tastes sinful but is actually quite healthy for you?  (This is starting to sound like a bad infomercial but I digress…)  Well have I got two extra special treats for you!  Both of these recipes offer a balance between nutritious and delicious.  Even better, both recipes require no baking at all and keep in the freezer in an airtight container for a month!  This makes it even easier to have a perfect portion ready to go when your sweet tooth strikes (with the Dark Chocolate Donut Holes) or you need an extra energy boost before or after a workout (Barre3 Energy Bars).  Enjoy!!!!  You’ll thank me later!

Dark Chocolate Donut Holes

Serves 6  (Recipe courtesy of Barre3)

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 cups almonds (raw) or roasted hazelnuts
5 tbsp cacao powder (raw)
1 cup dates (pitted)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Large handful coconut (finely shredded for rolling)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until desired consistency is obtained. Go for a cookie-dough like texture with not a lot of large chunks. You may need to add a little water.
2. Scoop out rounded spoonfuls with something like a mini ice cream scoop or a melon-baller.
3. Roll the dough between your palms to make a sphere.
4. Roll that ball in the finely shredded coconut.
5. Place finished balls on a plate, cookie sheet, or glass storage container.
6. Let sit in freezer for an hour or so before eating.
7. Store in freezer or fridge.

Barre3 Energy Bar

(Recipe courtesy of Barre3)

INGREDIENTS:

6 dates, pitted
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup sunflower butter or almond butter
1/4 cup goji berries (raisins work too)
1/4 cup coconut flakes, shredded
1/4 cup ground flax
2 tsp ground cinnamon
A couple pinches sea salt (unless sunflower or almond butter is salted)
1 cup almonds
Handful cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the pitted dates and coconut oil in the base of your food processor. Add the seed or nut butter. Whirl these three ingredients until blended.
2. Add the goji berries or raisins, coconut flakes, ground flax, cinnamon and sea salt, and whirl in the food processor again, until the mixture is well incorporated. It’s okay if it’s a bit more chunky at this point.
3. Add the almonds and the cacao nibs or chocolate chips, and pulse your food processor until you have a chunky mass that looks like cookie dough.
4. Scoop dough-like mixture into an 8×8 glass container, and press the mixture down with the back of a spoon.
5. Cool in the fridge for at least one hour to harden. Cut into bars to grab-and-go to your barre3 class, and store extras in the fridge.