Caramel and Peanut Butter Energizer Bites!

You will eat one, and then you will eat another, and then you will eat one more. These are that addicting, and that delicious. 

The nutrients from the Medjool dates, and the protein from the nut butter make these the perfect pick-me up snacks. Plus they're covered in dark chocolate, which is not only heart healthy, but delicious. 

So, let's talk chocolate. Dark chocolate is the healthier of the chocolates but it's not so common to find in stores. Many regular grocery stores do carry vegan chocolates chips though. Plus, most semi-sweet chocolate is dairy free. If you can't find any in your local store, try Amazon. I was gifted a Ghiradelli dark chocolate bar and that is what I used for this recipe. Although it is dairy-free, Ghiradelli does not classify this bar as vegan because it does share a facility with chocolates that do contain dairy. But the bar itself is plant based. You'll have to use your own moral compass to decide if you want to use this brand or not. No vegan police here. 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Pitted Medjool Dates

1 Tbsp Nut Butter (I prefer peanut butter or almond butter)

1 Bar Dark Chocolate

Process:

First thing is to check your dates. If they are not fresh and soft, you'll want to soak them in boiling hot water to soften them up. Otherwise, get rid of the pit and chop them up. Place dates and nut butter into a small food processor. It will be sticky, thick and it will probably get stuck. I usually stop the processor a few times and adjust the sticky goodness so it's not all clumped up. 

Once the mixture is well combined, using your hands, roll into balls. I made 5 good sized balls from this amount. At this point, they will look like meatballs. They will not taste like meatballs though. In fact, they will taste delicious right here and you could just eat them up now. 

If you haven't gobbled these up yet, break the chocolate bar up into small pieces and pop them into the microwave. I set it for 30 seconds, stir, then do 30 seconds more. That's usually enough. Using a toothpick, dip one of the bites into the chocolate and allow the excess chocolate to fall off before placing them on wax paper to dry. Repeat with the other bites. That's it! Once the chocolate dries, you are ready to eat! I store them in an airtight container, not in the fridge. If you do store in the fridge, I recommend allowing them to come to room temperature before eating because the inside will harden up. That is, of course, if you have any left to store! Enjoy!