September 2018 | The Honest Spoon

Why is it that the SECOND I decide I need to get my diet in check, go on a cleanse or anything in the general "diet" zone, I start craving things like an ABSOLUTE MANIAC? whhhyyyyyy??? I'll give you an example, today I was craving an Almond Joy. Ok, they are delicious- I get that. But I haven't had an Almond Joy in about one million years. Junior HIgh maybe? Yeah, and the fact that I just said "junior high" and not "middle school" tells you something about my age.

Anyway, I am off Whole 30 and transitioning to Paleo. It's all going well. I feel GREAT. I don't feel like I am missing out. I am not bored with my food. But I have been feeling the need for something sweet besides fruit. I have been having a slight craving for chocolate and that's just weird. I don't even like chocolate. 

So today I decided to make some protein bites. I usually opt for Coconut Lime since i much prefer tart to chocolate. But today I modified my usual and I made these Chocolate & Coconut protein balls. They are MAGIC!! It put my crazy cravings to rest and I didn't even have to feel guilty when I ate it. YAY! There is one downside to all this.....my KIDS!! They freaking love these and now I have to ration them out between the family. With the school year just starting, these are awesome for lunch box treats/ after school snacks. They are packed with protein so they help hold their crazy off the charts appetites in check!

CHOCOLATE COCONUT MAGIC                    [VEGAN, WHOLE 30, GF, PALEO]

| Makes about 24 |

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup Whole Almonds or Cashews (Raw)
• 1/3 Cup Walnuts or Pecans (Raw)
• 1 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 Cups Medjool Dates
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar

METHOD:

1. Grind together the nuts, and coconut together in a food processor.

2. Add unsweetened cocoa powder and quickly mix together.

3.  Add date and grind together. Mixture will be loose. See if it holds together by testing a bit in your hands. If needed, add the honey or agave a little at a time until the mixture holds itself together well enough to ball up. The is a bit rustic so it should not have a completely smooth texture.

4. Roll into balls, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Then, roll into shredded coconut. Keep refrigerated in an air tight container for up to one week.

TIPS:
* you will find that Cashews and Pecan have a smoother and creamier texture than Almonds or Walnuts. I like a gritty/ rustic texture so I used Almonds and Walnuts. For a smoother texture I suggest you use Cashews and Pecans. It simply come down to personal preference on texture!