High fibre chocolate bites — Melinda Lamarche

I came up with this recipe by accident. I have been trying to develop a chewy granola bar recipe for some time. Something that is chewy, naturally sweetened and void of any nut or seed butter. It has proven to be a really difficult task. This was the end result of one of my many granola bar trials and everyone loved them. Not quite a granola bar but still delicious and great as a high fibre snack. These squares are naturally sweetened with dates and are made using four high fibre ingredients (dates, oats, chia and hemp seeds) which are perfect for keeping little tummies regular. As for the granola bars, I’ll figure it out eventually!

High fibre chocolate bites

Makes 12

Ingredients

1 cup Medjool dates, pitted

1 cup water

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups quick oats

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp hemp hearts

2 tbsp coconut, shredded, unsweetened (optional)

Directions:

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, keep some paper hanging off the sides to help to remove the squares from the pan
Combine dates and water in a pot, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until dates start to break down, approximately 10-15 minutes (this may depend on how dry or fresh the dates are)
Remove from heat and mash until smooth
Once dates are smooth, add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined
With damp hands, press the mixture into the lined loaf pan
Refrigerate for 4 hours then cut into 12 squares
Keep refrigerated