For Easter this year instead of purchasing traditional chocolate as gifts for my family, I decided to make my own gifts. Buying chocolate eggs and Easter bunnies at Easter time can be very expensive and almost always results in over consumption of a food that should only be enjoyed on occasion. Choosing to make your own gifts sends a more personal thought, shows that you’ve put time and effort into the gift and results in a much healthier treat!
For my family this year I made chocolate and peanut butter bliss balls, dark chocolate tahini logs and chocolate coated dates! These are all super delicious, cheap to make, dairy free, contain healthy fats & natural sugars and are suitable for kids!
Chocolate & PB Bliss Balls:
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup oats
1 ½ cup pitted dates
2 tbsp natural peanut butter
½ cup desiccated coconut + more of coating
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 tbsp cacao powder
Water (as needed)
METHOD:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until well combined.
Roll into small balls and coat with desiccated coconut.
Refrigerate until firm.
Dark Chocolate and Tahini Logs:
100g all natural dairy free dark chocolate (~70%)
100g all natural tahini (well mixed)
3 tbsp buckwheat kernals
Sesame seeds (for decoration)
METHOD:
Over a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate.
Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the well mixed tahini and buckwheat kernals.
Fill a silicone mould with the mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Transfer to freezer for a couple of hours to firm up.
Store in refrigerator.
Chocolate Coated Dates:
INGREDIENTS:
Pitted dates
All natural dairy free dark chocolate (~70%)
METHOD:
Over a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate.
Once melted, dip dates into mixture then transfer to a plate.
Once all dates have been coated, refrigerate to firm up.
Store in refrigerator.
As with most treats, these should be enjoyed in moderation along with a healthy and balanced whole food plant based diet. Gifts such as these are perfect for any special occasion - birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas etc! Most of the ingredients for these treats are ingredients that you most likely have in your kitchen already. So don't waste your money on expensive commercial chocolate gifts just because its Easter (or any other time of year!). Put some thought into it, think about the ramifications of consuming large amounts of high fat rich dairy chocolates and make the swap over to something a little healthier! Investing your time and money into homemade goodies is far more appreciated and valued.
Happy Easter! Hope you all enjoyed some fun and relaxed time with family and friends.
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