Brownie Bites Recipe:
1/2 cup of cacao or cocoa powder
1 cup of dates
1 cup of almonds
1 cup of walnuts
Mix all ingredients together in a food processor. I use the S blade and pulse function to my desired consistency. Once I can roll up the mixture into little balls, I know I am done. Make the bites to your size preference. I personally like to make them 1/2 size of a golfball. enjoy!
What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?
Cacao is the raw less processed form of cocoa powder. Cocoa loses some of the benefits of cacao because it is heated at high temperatures. Cacao has more antioxidants than cocoa. Cocoa has been found to decrease blood pressure and improve cholesterol. Both are rich in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, manganese, and iron.
Dates:
Dates are high in potassium and fiber (with 12 g of fiber in one cup of dates!). Dates are also a good source of B vitamins. They have a high glycemic index (a lot of natural sugar), which is why we use them to sweeten recipes, but they may not be optimal for the diabetic.
Almonds:
Nuts have been shown to lower heart disease risk. Almonds are a good source of Vitamin E, copper, manganese, zinc, protein, and fiber. They contain much more unsaturated fat (the good kind) than saturated fat (the bad kind that raise your cholesterol).
Walnuts:
Walnuts are a good source of omega-3s! Walnuts also contain much more unsaturated than saturated fat. Walnuts are a good source of potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium.
