Simple, wholesome ingredients come together to form a delicious copycat version of Larabars made into bite sized balls. These homemade date and nut energy bites are quick to make and are a wonderful option for dessert, a snack, or to fuel long hikes or walks!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE LARABAR ENERGY BITES

Nutrition Facts are for one Larabar bite

INGREDIENTS:

• ¾ cup (100g) dates, soaked
• ¾ cup (100g) pecans*
• 2 tablespoons (10g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons (30g) mini-chocolate chips
• ¼ teaspoon salt

^{*any nut you enjoy works great for this recipe. We think walnuts pair especially well with the chocolate!}

DIRECTIONS

1. Measure the dates and place them in a bowl. Boil water and pour it overtop of the dates. Let soak for about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, add the pecans (or nut of choice) to a food processor. Blend until the nuts are a course texture. Add the cocoa powder and salt and blend to combine. Remove the mixture from the food processor and place in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Drain the water from the dates and add them to the food processor. Blend until the dates turn into a paste. The mixture may form a ball in the food processor.
4. Add the nut mixture back to the blended dates and process until combine. Stop the food processor and squeeze the mixture between your fingers. If it sticks together it is ready to form into balls! If it doesn't, add about 1 tablespoon of water and blend until a sticky mixture forms.
5. Add the mini-chocolate chips to the mixture and thoroughly combine using a spatula or your hands.
6. Use a tablespoon to measure the mixture and form into bite sized balls. 
7. Store in the freezer and enjoy!
   
   

DIETITIAN TIPS

Do you find yourself struggling to fall asleep? Waking up in the middle of the night? Do you experience night sweats that wake you up? If so, a snack with a combination of carb and fat (like one of these energy bites!) could help you achieve more restful and restorative sleep!

If you've been following our blog and Instagram, you likely already know the drill about how stable blood sugar is a foundation for overall health! What's happening with blood sugar overnight is just as important. If blood sugar drops, your body's backup is to release cortisol (a stress hormone) to help make sure levels don't drop dangerously low. ⁣
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The issue when this happens at night is cortisol opposes melatonin (your sleep hormone). ⁣So when cortisol increases then melatonin decreases and you either have difficulty falling asleep or wake up in the middle of the night with night sweats racing thoughts, or even a rumbling tummy!
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So, how do you safeguard against this if this is the root of your sleep woes?⁣
Have a bedtime snack! ⁣A well-crafted, blood sugar supporting snack provides a little carb and a little healthy fat. ⁣

• The carb (eg. dates) provides some glucose for keeping blood sugar up.⁣
• The fat (eg. nuts) works to time-release the glucose into your blood stream. ⁣⁣

A low blood sugar is by no means the only reason why you could be waking up in the middle of the night but it is a common one and has an easy & inexpensive fix. ⁣These energy bites are one option that we might recommend to clients to support their sleep. However, any combination of fat and carb will do. Plus, for clients with higher protein needs, our team of dietitians often recommend adding in a source of protein before bed, too!

While nutrition is the foundation of our Comprehensive Coaching Program, we understand how sleep, exercise, environment, community, and mindset influence your health and results. So if you are struggling to achieve the sleep you need to perform optimally then our team of Registered Dietitians would love to support you in establishing nutrition and sleep habits that ensure you feel your best! You can learn more about coaching here.

WE WANNA KNOW!

Did you try this recipe or a variation of it? Comment below! Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram so we can see your creation. Looking for more recipes like this one? We used a similar combination of dates and nuts to form the base for our Black Forest Cake Frozen Yogurt Bars!