I know what you are thinking, mint chocolate is a seasonal flavor—specifically a December holiday flavor and it’s a little early for that! So what the heck am I thinking, right? Well, you try telling The Olive Garden (who gives out Andes Mints as a going away present all year long) that their parting gesture is out of season. Even Starbucks serves peppermint drinks in July! Did you know that you can order a Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks any day of the year? That’s right, insider tip—I spent a good part of my teens and early twenties as a barista and they always peppermint hanging around. If the Olive Garden and Starbucks can pull off year-long seasonal favorites than so can I!
Today, I decided to jump on that mint chocolate train and make something I have never made before—mint chocolate energy bites! Energy balls are always a favorite to make because they typically call for one very simple step: place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. I love it. In just a few moments you have a raw delicious treat that you can eat with a spoon (hehe) or roll into bite size balls for an easy snack on the go. Sometimes I can’t help myself and I have to get a taste before serving them (that’s where the spoon part comes in).
Did I mention that unlike the Andes Mint and Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, these energy bites are made without added sugar and with very few whole food ingredients that will keep you charged throughout the day. Almonds and dates are loaded with the good kind of fats and carbohydrates that give your body the nutrients it needs to stay energized. Almonds aren’t just helpful when it comes to feeling less tired but also beneficial to heart health, diabetes and weight management.
If all those amazing facts about almonds haven’t convinced you to make your own energy balls than perhaps I should touch of the benefits of having dates in your diet. Dates are very high in sugar so you don’t want to eat the entire batch of date balls in one sitting, however, a small handful a dates every day is great for your digestive health as they are high in fiber and a great source of vitamins and minerals. There you go—so many reasons to ditch the Andes Mint and make these chocolate mint energy bites that will not only taste like Christmas but keep your heart healthy and your body happy.
TIP: A lot of the Paleo lifestyle is about being prepared, meal prepping and planning ahead! Hands down, my favorite meal prep tool is the SnapWare Glass series of food storage containers (here is a good starter pack if you wanted to try them out).
Yep, food storage. But these are my absolute fav!! Ridiculously easy to wash in the dishwasher, super durable and hygenic, and perfect for Paleo meal prep.
Looking for Paleo-approved ingredients? Here are a few we’d recommend:
Almond Butter (Justin’s)
Wild Dark Chocolate Powder (Wild Foods)
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ¾ cup dates, pitted
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp. paleo-friendly almond butter
- 2-3 drops peppermint extract
- Place all ingredients in a food processor on high until a dough forms. You still want small pieces of the almond so don’t over processes.
- Roll dough into 8 evenly sized balls.
- Store in an airtight container.
No Bake Mint Chocolate Energy Bites (With Almond Butter)
Jess (Paleo Grubs)
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