As you all know, peanut butter and chocolate (and banana!) is my favorite combination of all time.
Something about it makes my mouth water. Makes my dog drool, too, but I can’t share with him (no chocolate for dogs!).
I’d rather not share this treat with anyone, but ’tis the season of giving.
And Cookies. And Cookie Dough. And Pumpkin Pie.
And Peanut Butter apparently (at least in my mind).
~The bites are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course, sugar free!
Ingredients
- 5 dates
- 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts (or use unsalted peanuts and add your own salt)
- 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- optional: 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder for extra chocolate flavor
Instructions
- Using a food processor (I have also had success with a magic bullet), chop the dates first into a date-paste.
- Then add nuts and chop.
- Finally, add chocolate chunks and stir.
- If the dough is too powdery, add a small dash of water. If it is too sweet, add more peanuts. If it is not sweet enough, add more dates. The recipe is extremely versatile.
- Note: It is best when the peanuts are chunky, so don’t over-chop the peanuts!
Health Benefits:
- Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
- Dates: A laxative food with a high-fiber content, so it can help those suffering from constipation. They are digested quite easily and are great for when you need quick energy. Also, regular consumption of dates has been found to help the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines.
- Peanuts: These legumes are full of protein with 7g per ounce. They also have a great monounsaturated fat content that helps your heart and brain. Peanut is a good source of Coenzyme Q10 which protects the heart during the period of lack of oxygen example high altitudes and clogged arteries. It also has a high antioxidant and high niacin content that helps in the recovery of cell damage and provides protection against Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive problem.
Thought-Provoking, Mind-Prodding Question of the Day:
Cookies or Cookie Dough? What do you choose?
This post was a part of my Operation Beautiful Food. Original recipe here: Faux Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars
Follow Me!