Sweet Rewards – Chocolate Date “Candy Bar” Bites (Recipe)

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - chocolate date candy barsMy major food weakness is that I have a sweet tooth, especially for anything chocolate. I can’t pass a bowl of M&Ms without stuffing my mouth (and pockets) and know through extensive experimentation that truly “there is no wrong way to eat a Reese’s.” When I thought it would be a sneaky idea to hide chocolate chips from myself in the freezer, I realized the next morning they taste better frozen! There is no keeping me from chocolate. Period.

While I am focused on eating healthy most of the time, I’m definitely not a food denier. What’s the point in living? However, since chocolate, in some form or fashion, will probably continue to be part of my (daily) life for the next 50 years, I decided to search around for some healthier options that I could indulge in every so often. I love me a batch of these Chocolate Date “Candy Bar” Bites; a recipe based on a friend’s treat and tweaked to my tastes. These fudgy bites are packed with no-guilt, wholesome ingredients and are raw, gluten-free, vegan and Paleo-friendly, if that matters to you. They also taste completely dreamy and make a great workout reward — and that matters to me!

chocolate date candy bar bites ingredient

Chocolate Date “Candy Bar” Bites Recipe

  • 1 1/3 cups pitted medjool dates
  • ¼ cup organic cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 6 ounces Enjoy Life® Semi-sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks, chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on tops) *

Place pitted dates, cocoa, melted coconut oil, vanilla and water into work bowl of food processor; pulse until well combined. Add almond flour and chocolate chips; continue to pulse until mixture creates a cohesive ball.

Roll dough into three ropes approximately 12” long. Press remaining chopped chocolate chips into the top of rolls. Cut each roll into 8 pieces.

Serves 24

*Note you can use whatever brand of chocolate chip you like, but if you are trying to keep a vegan diet or a dairy, gluten, and/or soy-free diet, please read the manufacturer’s ingredient label.

date fudge nutrition

A Tasty Giveaway Today – Sun-Rype 100% All-Natural Fruit Snacks

This year I have been representing 100-percent fruity goodness on ambassador Team Sun-Rype, a group of 100 endurance athletes across the country sponsored by the brand Sun-Rype. As we run our races, ride our bikes, and suffer through our workouts, the team has been able to fuel and recover with the company’s line of delicious and completely natural products. As I’ve sampled my way through bushels of the stuff, I have to exclaim, one of my favorite products is the 100% All-Natural Fruit Strip.

Every single ingredient used in the Sun-Rype lineup of 100-percent fruit and veggie snacks, including the 100% All-Natural Fruit Strips, is of the highest quality containing only naturally occurring sugars and absolutely no artificial colors, fake flavors or preservatives. The sweetness of these wholesome products comes straight from fruit and vegetable juice concentrates and purees. Plus, with no artificial stuff or funky preservatives, you can feel confident that you’re giving your body the very best – putting premium gas in the tank, so to speak! Also, no nut or gluten ingredients if that’s an issue in your diet.

Me and Sun-Rype at Boston Marathon

I started replacing my gels, goos and gummies with the 100% All-Natural Fruit Stripsthis year for a couple reasons. First, obviously, the performance benefits of taking in 12 grams of fruit-based carbohydrates while on a long run. But, I found other reasons to love the stuff.  The individually wrapped ½ ounce bars are thin enough to stash in the fuel pocket of my running shorts. Helpful hint, I cut the bars in half so they fit in perfectly and I don’t have to fumble with opening the wrapper in the middle of a race.  Also, since these are “strips,” I can hang onto my fuel while I eat it rather than trying to clumsily squeeze it out into my mouth (like a goo product) or dropping little pieces all over the ground (like a gummie product).  Oh, and did I mention that the strips taste fantastic and my kids go crazy for them too?   It’s so hard to decide on my favorite flavor between Wildberry, Strawberry and Strawberry-Banana – I definitely recommend all!

Sample Nutrition Info

So, I’d love to treat one of my readers to a mixed case of 100% All-Natural Fruit Strip in Wildberry, Strawberry and Strawberry-Banana flavors. The case has 98 fruit strips in all, enough to share with your running buddies and /or family.

It’s easy to enter, see below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway