Healthy chocolate balls

These chocolate balls will not only satisfy your cravings but also provide you with a range of health benefits. Made with 100% cacao powder, medjool dates, maple syrup, walnuts, cashew butter, hemp hearts and chia seeds, each ball is packed with healthy omega fats, plant protein, fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

They can be enjoyed for dessert, at breakfast, as a mid-day snack or to boost your energy before working out. For an easy, colourful and nutritious dessert, I often serve them on a platter with fresh seasonal fruit (as featured in this post).

To get the full health benefits of these chocolate treats, I recommend making them with a good quality cacao powder. Not all cacao powders are good for you, so choose wisely. I used this brand that I purchased in a health food store in France. Also, here is a list of some of the healthiest cacao powders you can buy.

Derived from the seeds of the cacao tree, cacao powder is high in flavonoids — the antioxidants that contribute to reducing oxidative stress associated with chronic diseases and premature ageing. In addition, flavonoids can help improve heart and cardiovascular health by reducing inflammation, improving blood flow, and lowering blood pressure.

Cacao powder is also a mood booster. It contains various compounds that stimulate the production of endorphins — AKA the “feel-good” hormones, which can make you feel happy and relaxed. Finally, a good quality cacao powder is nutrient dense as it contains a wealth of essential minerals, such as magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium.

The recipe is below. Special thanks to our guests Paul and Kevin who enjoyed this dessert (and the dinner that preceded it). They even took a small box of these balls home with them!

Healthy Chocolate Balls

Equipment: a food processor

Makes 20 to 22 balls

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (225gr) fresh medjool date flesh (about 10 large pitted dates)
1 cup (110 gr) walnuts or pecans
2 tablespoons (tbsp) chia seeds
1/4 cup (30 gr) cacao powder
2 tbsps maple syrup
2 tbsps smooth nut butter ( I used cashew butter)
1 tsp vanilla paste
¹/₂ teaspoon (tsp) salt
¹/₂ cup (80 gr) hemp hearts
Desiccated coconut (or finely ground nuts of choice) for rolling/coating the balls

PROCEDURE

Put the pitted date flesh into a small bowl filled with hot tap water. Allow to soak for at least 5 minutes to soften. Drain all of the water when done soaking.

2. To your food processor bowl, add the softened dates, walnuts, chia seeds, cacao powder, maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla paste and salt. Process to mix the ingredients and until you get a sticky dough, stopping to scrape sides with spatula.

3. Add the hemp hearts and pulse a few times just to mix the hearts into the dough, stopping and scraping down sides if needed.

4. Transfer dough into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. Place the bowl with the dough into a large pot with some ice water (this is just to keep the dough cool and allow for easier rolling). With clean hands, roll into 20 to 22 balls. Roll each ball into the coconut or ground nuts. Keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.