I'll admit it, I hate baking. I'd rather spend my time in the kitchen working with fresh, seasonal vegetables and spices creating meals instead of desserts. However, when an idea pops into my head for a quick no oven required dessert that is healthy and delicious (oh and lets not forget easy) I usually give it a whirl when I know I'm having guests or attending a dinner party. This way I can provide family, friends and clients with healthy sweets that taste sinful but are actually good for you! Oh and by the way, I don't always share that info with them, I've learned that when you label something as "healthy" people prepare themselves not to like it before they even taste it. Therefore, I'm a true believer in, "what you don't know won't hurt you"!
So next time you are craving something rich and chocolatey, whip up a batch of my chocolate nut truffles....they make mouths happy! Filled with dark chocolate, walnuts (hello omega 3's), whole grains and completely void of refined flour and sugar they taste just like fudge and at about 90 calories a pop, they are figure friendly too. Enjoy!
Chocolate Nut Truffles
Makes about 25 truffles
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw walnut halves, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups unsweetened brown rice cereal
3/4 cup rolled oats
2 1/2 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or greater), chopped into chunks
1 cup unsweetened dried pited dates (Medjool), pureed until smooth
1/2 cup unsalted walnut butter (or your favorite unsalted natural nut butter)
2 tbsp honey
Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, add walnuts, cereal and oats . Stir until combined. Set aside.
2. Melt chocolate in a medium bowl over a double boiler (if you don't have one you can simply place a metal bowl over a pot filled half-way with water over a medium flame.) When chocolate is melted, remove bowl from double boiler and, using a wooden spoon, add pureed dates, nut butter and honey. Carefully stir until combined. As mixture stiffens, set bowl over double boiler again as needed.
3. Add chocolate mixture to bowl with cereal mixture and, using a wooden spoon, fold until thoroughly combined (get your hands in there, it mixes much easier). Now you can either scrape the mixture into a 9x11 baking dish (think rice krispy treats), pressing down firmly with your hands smoothing down the top or you can roll your chocolate-cereal mixture into truffle-like balls (my preference, hence the name of the recipe) and place on a baking sheet. If you choose the later, use a 1 1/2 tsp measuring spoon to scoop mixture into balls.
4. Cover and refigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow mixture to set.
5. If you used a baking dish, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares for instant portion control.
6. Serve immediately. If you choose you can serve this dessert with a touch of fat-free greek yogurt sweetened with honey.
