These deeply chocolaty, fudgy-textured Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Brownie Bite Truffles are a great healthy treat to have on hand to keep you focused on clean eating without feeling deprived.
This time of year, magazines inundate us with ideas on how to eat clean and make healthier choices throughout the holiday season. Ideas like eating dinner and then heading out to an evening party where there’ll be a dinner buffet, or eating a main course off of a smaller appetizer-sized plate. Or carrying a glass of water in one hand throughout the duration of a party so it’s harder to eat food.
These tricks are all great, but for me, if I don’t get to partake in the festivities (and so many times partaking in festivities means enjoying food), I’m going to feel left out. And no one wants to feel left out, especially around the holidays. The good thing is, I don’t have to be eating the same thing as everyone else. As long as I’m eating something a little different from my regular routine, it feels special, and I’m fine with using it as a treat (even if it is actually something healthy).
That’s why I love recipes for things like these healthy truffles. They’re full of healthy real-food ingredients, they’re a cinch to make, and they’re portable, making them perfect for carrying along in your purse or handbag to a party or movie theater, or even using as a travel snack.
The ingredient list here is interesting; I wanted to use tahini as the base because of its health benefits. If you’re not familiar with tahini, it’s just ground sesame seeds (it’s sesame seed butter, like peanut butter, if you will). It’s a good source of heart-healthy fat; rich in minerals like magnesium, phosphorous, iron, and calcium; and high in B vitamins. A serving of 2 tablespoons has 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber! (You can read more about the health benefits of tahini on Mind Body Green, Medical News Today, and Dr. Axe.
As healthy as it is, other than in salad dressing, tahini is one of those things that I have trouble incorporating into my eating, which is a big reason I’m so excited about these truffles. Other than tahini, their ingredient list is pretty normal, albeit still fabulous. (We all know how healthy dates and unsweetened chocolate are, right? Dates alone are energizing, and rich in fiber, antioxidants, and minerals like magnesium and potassium.)
And I think these taste like little brownie bites. They’re fudgy-textured and deeply chocolaty, and you can roll them in anything you like (toasted hazelnuts are a favorite of mine).
What are some of your secrets for eating healthy throughout the holidays?
- Yields: about 26 truffles, 13 servings
- Serving size: 2 truffles
- Calories: 150
- Fat: 8
- Saturated fat: 3
- Trans fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 19
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 14
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 0
- 3 oz (85 g) unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 150 g (about 8 to 10) pitted Medjool dates, soaked in hot water for 3 minutes and drained if not soft
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) well-stirred tahini (or natural, unsweetened, runny almond butter)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder dissolved in 1/2 teaspoon hot water
- 1 pinch sea salt
- Natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- Chopped toasted nuts
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
- Add all ingredients for the truffles to a food processor; pulse a few times to break up the dates, and then process until smooth.
- Transfer the batter to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until it is stiff enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
- Use a 1 tablespoon-scoop to measure the dough; roll each into a ball in any toppings you like.
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Hello and welcome! I'm Faith and I believe you can have your cake and eat it too. For breakfast.
Wanda Lopez says
December 15, 2016 at 5:30 pmHonestly, I don’t eat too healthy during the holidays. But, I do try to add more salad to my plate during lunch or dinner, (this prevent me from over eating rice – which is normally found on our kitchen table, pecially during holiday gatherings), and I drink lots of water. Can’t wait to give these chocolaty bites a try. Thanks for the recipe!
Lee says
April 3, 2019 at 2:22 amI have read a lot about home made no bake energy balls,truffle bites and have tried some of the recipes. It uses similar ingredients and they’re very easy to make and may sound a little funny – but they’re handy, quick grab snackies