Delectable, portable, no-bake carrot cake bites are super nutritious and easy to make. Keep them on hand for an instant breakfast, healthy snack--or in case of a hunger emergency.
¼cuproughly chopped Medjool datessoftened (about 3 large dates)
¼cupcoarsely ground flax seed(or more-see notes)
1cuprolled oats
¼cupplainunsweetened natural style almond butter
½cupraisins
½cupwalnut pieces
1 ½teaspoonpumpkin pie spiceor make your own - see notes
½teaspoonvanilla extract
Optional: 1 teaspoon fresh gingerfinely grated
Optional: 1 teaspoon turmeric powder(or more)
½cupunsweetened shredded coconutto roll the bites in
Variations: For a sweeter, donut-hole type bite, roll in a mixture of coconut sugar and cinnamon, then dredge in shredded coconut or ground walnuts. For extra crunch, roll the bites in ground walnuts.
Grate the carrots using the grating/shredding blade of your food processor or a box grater. If using ginger, grate it by hand with the fine section of a box grater or a micro-planer.
Soften the chopped dates by placing them in a small dish with a tablespoon of water and microwaving on high for 30 seconds.
Add all ingredients (except the shredded coconut) to a food processor and pulse until well blended stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Add water (or you could use applesauce) a tablespoon at a time to thin the mixture. Continue to process until well blended and just slightly chunky.
Place in a bowl (or just leave in the food processor bowl) and cover. Allow to rest for 15-30 minutes in the refrigerator, or until the mixture is slightly firm.
To make the balls, scoop out a bit of mixture at time using a tablespoon or cookie scoop and roll into approximately 1-inch balls. (See notes for an alternative method.)
Dredge each ball in shredded coconut--or variation of your choice.
Notes
To make this recipe easier on the budget and get more flax into your diet, you can increase the flax to ½ cup and decrease the walnuts to ¼ cup.
I intentionally kept these bites not too sweet so they're healthy to eat every day. You can always add more dates if you want a sweeter bite--or roll in coconut sugar and cinnamon before dredging.
If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, sub 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
METHOD 2: Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper longer than the pan (for easy removal). Spoon mixture into the pan, spread evenly with the back of a wooden spoon. Cover with parchment paper and press down gently to even out the mixture. Allow to rest for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Using the ends of the parchment paper, lift the chilled mixture out in one piece. Place on a cutting board and slice into 16 or 20 pieces. Either top with coconut and enjoy as bars, or roll each piece into a round ball.
METHOD 2 is a bit of extra work, but I prefer it because pressing the mixture helps firm in up and it's easy to cut into even-sized bites. (Plus, I don't own a cookie scooper, and seem to have a mental block when it comes to making even-sized balls!)