Chocolate Quinoa Power Bites

 

The ingredient of the Month (April) is Kickass Quinoa - a superfood in its own right. 

This is a perfect on-the-go snack that duly curbed my hunger and also took care of my untimely and unwanted sugar cravings. As the month of April draws to an end, PG of A Whiff of Spice and I have close to 20 Quinoa Recipes between the two of us and what a remarkably prolific month it was! Stay tuned for the Ingredient of the Month round-up featuring Kickass Quinoa!

 

Ingredients: (Yield - about 16 to 18 )

• Cooked Quinoa - 1 Cup (recipe here)
• Pitted Dates - about 20
• Almonds - 1/2 Cup + 2 tbsp.
• Almond Butter - 1/3 Cup (or use your favorite nut butter)
• Golden Flaxseeds - 1/4 Cup + 2 tsp
• Dried Cranberries - 1/4 Cup
• Dark Chocolate Chips - 1/3 Cup
• Instant Coffee Granules - 1/2 tsp
• Cocoa Powder - 1 tsp, unsweetened (optional)
• Salt - 1/4 tsp

 

Using a food processor, crush the almonds into itty bitty pieces. Scoop out 2 tbsp. of crushed almonds and transfer to a bowl. To the same bowl, add 2 tsp of flaxseeds and cocoa powder and give it a quick whisk. Set it aside.

Now add the pitted dates to the food processor and blitz away till you get a crumbly mixture.

Warm up the quinoa if you are using leftovers.

Throw in the warm quinoa along with 1/4 cup flaxseeds, dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips, coffee powder, salt and the creamy nut butter and process till everything comes together into a sticky mass. The chocolate chips will melt from the heat.

Using a mini ice-cream scoop or a 1 tbsp. measure, scoop out  the mixture and shape into balls using the palms of your hands. Roll the balls in the crushed almond-flaxseeds-cocoa powder mix and arrange them in a single layer on a plate or a cookie sheet. Once done, bite into one and enjoy!

 

Recipe adapted from here.