Today, I decided to jump on that mint chocolate train and make something I have never made before—mint chocolate energy bites! Energy balls are always a favorite to make because they typically call for one very simple step: place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth.
I love it. In just a few moments you have a raw delicious treat that you can eat with a spoon (hehe) or roll into bite size balls for an easy snack on the go. Sometimes I can’t help myself and I have to get a taste before serving them (that’s where the spoon part comes in).
Like mint + chocolate?
Did I mention that unlike the Andes Mint and Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, these energy bites are made without added sugar and with very few whole food ingredients that will keep you charged throughout the day. Almonds and dates are loaded with the good kind of fats and carbohydrates that give your body the nutrients it needs to stay energized. Almonds aren’t just helpful when it comes to feeling less tired but also beneficial to heart health, diabetes and weight management.
If all those amazing facts about almonds haven’t convinced you to make your own energy balls than perhaps I should touch of the benefits of having dates in your diet. Dates are very high in sugar so you don’t want to eat the entire batch of date balls in one sitting, however, a small handful a dates every day is great for your digestive health as they are high in fiber and a great source of vitamins and minerals. There you go—so many reasons to ditch the Andes Mint and make these chocolate mint energy bites that will not only taste like Christmas but keep your heart healthy and your body happy.
Craving chocolate? Try these too:
TIP: A lot of the Paleo lifestyle is about being prepared, meal prepping and planning ahead! Hands down, my favorite meal prep tool is the SnapWare Glass series of food storage containers (here is a good starter pack if you wanted to try them out).
Yep, food storage. But these are my absolute fav!! Ridiculously easy to wash in the dishwasher, super durable and hygenic, and perfect for Paleo meal prep.
Looking for Paleo-approved ingredients? Here are a few we’d recommend:
Almond Butter (Justin’s)
Wild Dark Chocolate Powder (Wild Foods)
(Make these next: Paleo Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites)
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ¾ cup dates, pitted
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp. paleo-friendly almond butter
- 2-3 drops peppermint extract
Directions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor on high until a dough forms. You still want small pieces of the almond so don’t over processes.
- Roll dough into 8 evenly sized balls.
- Store in an airtight container.
These look quick and easy to make, can’t wait to try them.
Probably will put these on my travel snack list for our road trip in September.
Heading over to the Paleo Pumpkin Pie energy bites next. Going to visit grandchildren will need all my energy.
Thank you for sharing.
I’m a little dense – can you be more specific about the dates? Are they dried? Fresh? Thank you!
The dates are dried, like Medjool dates.
I appreciated your reference to Olive Garden Mints early in this recipe. I worked there for 10 years (yes, I’m Paleo too, go figure…) and people would literally trip you if didn’t give them their mints! That being said, I plan on trying this super simple recipe. I love mint with chocolate!