I was introduced to these three bite wonders in December on a snowshoe trek with my girlfriend at Crystal mountain in Kelowna, BC. Halfway through our 10 kms stomp, Lori reached into her backpack and pulled out a plastic container and said, “You have got to try these. They are the best. No refined sugar, just lots of high energy ingredients”. I didn’t stop at one. I had another and then requested that Lori email the link for the recipe.

By the time I returned home the link was in my email. The link is here. The first batch I made was for New Year’s so I broke a rule and used refined sugar. I soaked the dates in about 1/4 cup of orange brandy overnight. Oh, so very good!!

Since January, these three bite wonders have become a staple in my backpack whenever I take to the trails for hiking and/or snowshoeing. They are easy to make and the variations can be endless.

The basic recipe is:

Chocolate Cinnamon Truffles

Ingredients
1/2 cup raw pecans
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 tbsp. of cocoa powder
10 – 15 dates pitted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Seeds from 1 whole vanilla bean (I use pure vanilla)
Garnish – can be shredded coconut, cocoa powder,

Instructions

1. Combine pecans, almonds and cocoa powder in a food processor and pulse until you have a crumble consistency
2. Add the dates and pulse until a mixture is formed. If too thick add 1 tablespoon of water to help the mixture form
3. Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl and add the cinnamon and vanilla. Mix by hand.
4. Form the mixture into 10 equal sized truffles
5. Roll your truffles into the shredded coconut, cocoa powder or any other garnish.
6. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. (Ha, Ha, see if they last one week!!)

My variations:

1. I have used a variety of nut mixtures from almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, to also using sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.
2. Beside the dates, I have used hemp and pumpkin protein powders, maca
3. I have used different spices from nutmeg, crystallized ginger, cardamom, even a pinch of curry powder or black pepper. Chili flakes too.
4. I have garnished with toasted coconut, hemp hearts, chia seeds, any crushed nuts, ground black pepper, sea salt

Give these three bites of deliciousness a try. I guarantee they will be your “go to” snack. Try different combinations. My next batch will include bits of crushed seaweed that I found on the snack shelf of my local organic store. Wonder what that will taste like???