This is my favorite time of year! The food, the decorations, the smells, the movies, the time spent with family, the holiday spirit, the food…did I already say that? Well, it deserves repeating.
For a full month and a half–from around Thanksgiving until right after New Year’s–I live in sheer bliss…even longer if you tie my early-November birthday into the mix.
Every night unfolds in basically the same way: I come home from work, change into comfy, warm clothes (complete with fuzzy socks and sweaters), eat a ridiculous amount of food, and finish it all off with dessert. My husband is convinced that I must be preparing for hibernation. He says it’s because I sleep and eat more, but I’m inclined to agree with his theory because my clothes always seem a bit tighter in the winter and I can’t help but notice some extra “padding.”
Because dessert is a must, I’m always trying to come up with holiday-themed treats that will soothe my sweet tooth without adding too much extra cushioning to my poor expanding derrière. That’s when desserts like these Raw Gingerbread Bites start to make a regular appearance in my fridge. They’re easy to make, store well in the fridge or freezer, are made from healthy, whole ingredients, and can be enjoyed practically guilt-free (as long as you eat them in moderation). Take that, tushie!
- ¼ cup oats
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup chopped dates (approx. 6-8 depending on the size)
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- pinch cloves
- sea salt, to taste
- 1-2 tsp. hot water (optional)
- Grind the oats into flour in a food processor.
- Add the pecans and blend just until they’re broken down.
- Add the chopped dates a little bit at a time and blend until broken down and the mixture begins to clump together.
- Add the vanilla extract and spices and blend until evenly distributed. At this point the mixture should clump together easily–you can test it by pinching some between your fingers. *If the mixture does not hold together well and seems too crumbly, add a little bit of hot water (1 tsp. at a time) and blend until you are able to reach the desired consistency.
- Remove a little bit of the mixture–approx. 1 rounded Tbs. at a time– and roll it into a ball between your hands. Continue rolling until you have used up all of the mixture.
- Enjoy immediately or allow the gingerbread bites to firm up in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Original article: Raw Gingerbread Bites
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Original article: Raw Gingerbread Bites.