Recipe | Cocoa Cashew Energy Bites

I came up with this recipe for Cocoa Cashew Energy Bites primarily because I'm always on the hunt for snacks that are high in protein and low in sugar.  Most granola bars are far too sweet for my taste and most energy ball recipes that I've made use dates to sweeten them and therefore usually end up tasting too much like dessert rather than a snack.  This recipe is finally a successful experiment that I will be repeating over and over again.  The maple syrup adds a subtle sweet taste that compliments the cashews nicely.  I added oats to give more substance to the Bites and cocoa powder because I'm always craving chocolate!  The end result is a delicious and filling snack. Perfect for packed lunches, snacks on the go, or just something to munch on at home.

Cocoa Cashew Energy Bites

Ingredients

1  1/2 cups of raw cashews

1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut (reserve 1/4 cup for rolling the bites in)

1 cup of wheat free oats

3 tablespoons of cocoa powder

sprinkle of salt

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

2 tablespoons of water

Add the ingredients to a food processor (I use and really like my Cuisinart one) in the order that they are listed above.  Blend until the cashews and oats have texture and aren't quite finely ground yet.

Remove blade from food processor.  Prepare a plate with the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded coconut and a container to store the finished Bites in.  Form the cocoa cashew mixture into bite sized balls and then roll them in the shredded coconut on the plate.  Continue until all the mixture is used up and you have a container full.

Keep the Bites in an airtight container in the fridge for best results, or freeze some if you are making them more than a week in advance.  These are Wheat Free and Peanut Free.

Enjoy!

Claire