Cookie Dough Bites

It is National Nutrition Month and we are talking about making healthier choices, bringing health awareness to friends and family, and taking responsibility for our food sources. A chocolate coated cookie ball may not be the first thing that comes to mind when sharing healthy recipes, but this Living WildFit recipe is a compromise to those not yet living with food freedom. Simply made with quality ingredients while passing as a conventional ‘treat’, this recipe fits all the qualifications of your cookbook.

Ingredients

Cookie dough:

1 cup nut or seed butter

¼  cup coconut flour

1 Tbsp raw local honey

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of Himalayan pink salt

¼  cup dairy free chocolate chips

Chocolate coating:

½ cup cacao powder

½ cup coconut oil

3 Tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

As we are focusing on the sourcing of our ingredients, it is important to be aware of where your ingredients are coming from, and supporting companies that are genuinely free trade, organic, and sustainable. It is difficult to get a clear picture at first, as greenwashing is everywhere. However, once you locate quality ingredients, you can usually buy them forever.

Nut butters should be minimally processed, contain no more than two to three certified organic, non GMO and fair trade ingredients, be free from any added sugars or oils, and preferably handcrafted in small batches. Why are they worthy of the higher price tag? They pack your body with nutrition (in small servings) and avoid the damage caused by sugars, homogenized oils and molds common in many of these products.

Before getting into this super simple recipe- I am going to gab a bit more about another ingredient, chocolate chips. This is one that kids who have been eating conventional food are used to, and a hard one to swap out for pure cacao nibs. Aside from the tedious task of making them yourself, it can be difficult to find those that are vegan, gluten free, soy free, non GMO, free trade cacao and free of highly refined sugars and hydrogenated oils. Even just listing all those qualifications is difficult! However there are a few companies that deliver- and they are mostly found in health food stores or online. As these treats are on the occasional or rarely list, it shouldn’t be a problem that they are a luxurious indulgence.

Instructions

This is one of those simple, 15 minute recipes that the kids can help with or you can quickly complete as part of your meal prep. I will often make a double batch for the freezer to pull out when friends are visiting.

First, line a baking tray with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper and set it aside. I love my reusable baking sheets- they are easy to wash and I never need to worry if I am out of parchment. You do need something between the tray and the balls though, as the quick freeze makes them stick.

Place the coconut flour and salt, in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. The coconut flour is highly absorbable and has a tendency to clump. If you see that in yours, use a fork to press the lumps out. Mix in the nut butter, vanilla and honey. Cream it into the dry ingredients with a fork until it resembles cookie dough.

Next, fold in the chocolate chips, making sure they are evenly distributed. Scoop out small spoonfuls of dough, rolling them into balls and placing them on the baking sheet. These can be smaller if they are for your kids or larger if you prefer, but know your Sugar Monster and use discretion. A once inch circumference is what I aimed for. When finished all the balls, place the baking tray in the freezer and prepare the chocolate coating.

Gently melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. It will only take a minute, so watch it and don’t let it smoke or burn. Once it has liquefied, stir in the cacao, honey and vanilla and whisk to blend. Remove it from the heat, or if you are working in a cold kitchen, keep it on very low.

Remove your cookie dough balls from the freezer and one at a time dip them in the chocolate coating, rolling them around with a small spoon until they are covered in chocolate. Once coated, return the balls to your parchment lined baking sheet and place the full sheet in the freezer to set.

After 10 minutes or at your leisure, remove from the freezer and enjoy. Two provide a lot of energy and sugar, so be mindful of your quantity in one sitting. These are fun to make with kids because they can be broken into 3 small chunks of time, making a good morning activity. I also love the artistic element of sculpting and coating them- very meditative. You can store them in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container, or in your freezer for up to a month or two… but let’s not kid ourselves!