Chocolate and Orange Treats
Description
These delicious little treats remind me of my childhood, it’s the taste of chocolate and orange! My grandparents lived in Florida, and I remember many wonderful Christmases with juicy fresh oranges picked right from the tree and trips to the orange grove with my grandfather. It was on one of these outings that I had my first taste of orange and chocolate together and it was love at first bite! Now it bring back lovely memories of warm breezes, family time, palm trees and orange groves with my grandfather. The orange flavour in these raw treats comes from grated orange rind, please make sure to use organic oranges, and wash them well. I use a stainless steel zester, which works beautifully. Dates create the sweetness, raw cacao gives them a subtle chocolate flavour (you could use regular cocoa, the flavour will be more pronounced), cashews and sunflower seeds produce a creamy texture and the coconut just adds another yummy layer of goodness. I hope these little treats become a favourite of yours and they are part of your holiday
Ingredients
- 1 cup Raw Cashews
- 1/2 cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
- 1/2 cup Coconut
- 1/2 cup Raw Cacao Powder
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla
- 20 Medjool Dates (pitted and torn in half)
- Grated Rind of 1 Organic Orange
Instructions
- In a food processor combine sunflower seeds and cashews. Pulse a few times to combine
- Add coconut and raw cacao powder and pulse at least 5 more times, 5 seconds per pulse, to get the nuts, seeds and coconut turned into a ‘flour-like’ consistency.
- Add remaining ingredients and let the food processor run until everything is well combined and sticky. Be patient. It will take a minute or so.
- Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Roll into small balls, it will make around 36 depending on how big you make them. Store in the fridge for one week or freezer for one month.
Notes
These delicious little chocolate and orange ‘power balls’ are so simple to make, no cooking required! The only tool you need is a food processor to turn the nuts and seeds into a flour like substance and get the dates totally incorporated into the mix. If you want to try this recipe without a food processor I would suggest using almond flour (which is almonds already crushed up) and take the time to chop the Medjool dates very small, then stir all the ingredients together in a big bowl. It’s important to use Medjool dates as they are soft and sweet and help the nuts and seeds hold together.
