They’re chocolatey. They’re delicious. They’re decadent. They’re healthy and raw? Wait, what? Yup. These delicious chocolate morsels are not only decadent and tasty, they are also chock full of enzymes and energy foods aka they are healthy and raw.
What exactly is “raw” food? Raw food is just that – not cooked. At least not above a specific temperature. Raw foods can be heated for longer periods of time over low heat, or dehydrated through a fan system. Or they can be eaten in their raw state and combined with other foods to create a delicious, healthy treat. So why eat raw – besides the delicious taste? Raw foods contain all of the natural enzymes, because they have not been heated, which “kills” off any enzymes. Enzymes are another term for nutrients. They help you digest the food and absorb all of the vitamins and minerals available. Raw foods are believed to be very energetic for this reason. They are living and thus create more life/prana/chi within you.
These energy bites are fantastic for doing this. They will give you all the energy you need, whether you eat them for breakfast, a pre/post workout treat, or a simple on-the-go snack. They aren’t 100% raw, but most of the ingredients are. And don’t coconut, dates, and chocolate sound fantastic together?
Chocolate Prana Bites:
Adapted from Fragrant Vanilla Cake
Makes 12-16
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water
10 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 Tbsp raw coconut oil
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder, ¼ chocolate Amazing Grass “green” powder
1 1/2 cups raw almond pulp
1 1/3 cups shredded dried coconut
a pinch of sea salt
Combine chia seeds and water. Stir together to allow chia seeds to absorb the water – this will be your glue. Once combined, add the ingredients – minus the coconut- to a food processor or high speed blender and blend for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut and further incorporate for 1-2 minutes. Remove from blender/processor and roll into balls – an ice cream scoop size works well. Place on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, you can transfer to the refrigerator and keep for a week – although they probably won’t last that long!
Enjoy the raw, pure, energy!
Tune in tomorrow for the next Wednesday workout – we’ll learn how to exercise steadily to help reduce stress and inflammation. For more on this topic, sign up for the newsletter!
Peace and love,
Jessi
