I know pumpkin season is essentially over, but with all that has gone on the last month or so, I’ve not been able to post much and I’m afraid I’ve got still got several recipes in my queue featuring pumpkin and squash. So I’m hoping you still have a can or two of pumpkin puree that didn’t get used up and you’re in need of a healthy treat. If so, let me recommend these Gluten-Free Chocolate Pumpkin Bites. They are loaded with whole oats {gluten-free if necessary}, fresh roasted pumpkin {or canned}, cashew meal, flaxseed, honey, and dark chocolate.
This time of year can be a tricky one when it comes to healthy eating. Hopefully you are still holding on strong to any resolutions you may have made to strive for a healthier lifestyle when it comes to your eating, but perhaps your life has been like mine and things have not been at all what you expected and thus clean eating has been a bit more of a challenge than anticipated.
With the passing of my mom three weeks ago, so many friends and neighbors were extremely kind and generous to our family, and the food came pouring in the doors like I’ve never seen. With all the extended family that came into town for the visitation and service, my dad had as many as 25 people at the house for more than one meal and I cannot imagine how we would have fed everyone had it not been for so many loving people bringing by a dish or two. There was no shortage of baked macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, rolls, green bean casseroles, pasta salads, and the list goes on. While the food may not have been the healthiest, it was made with love, absolutely delicious, and so very appreciated. When you lose someone you love so dearly, you don’t really care what you eat. The appetite is pretty much gone and you eat more out of routine, necessity, and comfort, rather than hunger. And being that I’m still nursing our son, it was essential that I continue to nourish my body to ensure I could meet his needs.
All that to say, healthy eating has not been at the top of my priority list this past month, and with the holidays before that, it’s been a while since I’ve really focused on eating well. I still eat my yogurt with flaxseed and bran flakes for breakfast, a large salad for lunch, and work to keep our dinners full of vegetables and whole foods; BUT there has been a lot of traveling, a lot of sweets, and a lot of meals eaten on the go.
Fortunately, if like me, your year hasn’t gone the way you had imagined, it’s not too late to clean up your eating and get back on track. And these Gluten-Free Chocolate Pumpkin Bites are a great alternative to those brownies or cookies that might be calling your name. They bring balance, providing you with a healthy sweet, that boasts in nutrition, boosting your body with the energy it needs, without any refined sugar or flour. See below for some of their health benefits.
BENEFITS OF MEDJOOL DATES:
- Medjool dates have a great amount of dietary fiber, supplying you with 27% of the recommended daily allowance. Their soluble fiber is important in regulation of blood sugar as well as levels of cholesterol.
- Medjool dates contain more potassium than any other known mineral to man. Potassium assists in balancing body pH, maintaining intercellular fluid balance as well as blood sugar regulation.
- Medjool dates are great foods to control addiction for sweet foods. Their high fiber content keeps you full for long hence curbing the cravings. It also aids in keeping a healthy digestive system, thanks to loads of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber and plenty of amino acids.
- The high natural sugar levels in Medjool dates as well as potassium keep you invigorated with energy. Potassium in Medjool dates builds muscles tone, enhancing you physically.
BENEFITS OF WHOLE OATS:
- Whole oats are a good source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants and are particularly high in B vitamins, phosphorus and iron. In 1 cup of cooked oats, there are approximately 150 calories, 6 g of protein and 4 g of fiber. (The iron is important for those of you like myself who don’t eat a lot of red meat!)
- Purchase organic whole oats if possible to eliminate the chemicals, additives or genetic modifications that are often used on the non-organic oats.
BENEFITS OF PUMPKIN:
- Pumpkin is a low calorie vegetable and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol.
- Rich in dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamin-A, vitamin-C and vitamin-E.
- Contains high levels of vitamin-A, which is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and is required by the body for maintaining the integrity of skin and mucus membrane.
- Pumpkin is an excellent source of many natural poly-phenolic flavonoid compounds such as α, ß carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lutein and zea-xanthin.
- It is also rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus
BENEFITS OF DARK CHOCOLATE
- Dark Chocolate has antioxidants known as Flavonoids, which help soak up harmful free radicals from the body and may help improve brain function in older people as well as help prevent blood clots and strokes.
- The fat in dark chocolate consists of oleic acid and stearic acid. Oleic acid can actually help reduce the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood, while stearic acid won’t raise or lower your cholesterol. However, the fat in chocolate is just as caloric as any other fat, which is why it’s important to eat in moderation.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Pumpkin Bites
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool dates
- 1 1/2 cups organic oats {certified gluten-free if necessary}
- 1 cup cashew meal
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp honey {substitute with maple syrup for vegan}
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3-4 oz dark chocolate finely chopped, approx 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Remove pits from dates, add dates and oats to food processor and process until finely chopped/blended.
- Add cashew meal, flaxseed, pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla extract, almond milk, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon to date and oat mixture. Pulse 8 to 10 times or until ingredients are well blended.
- Add chopped dark chocolate to the bowl, reserving 2 tbsp for garnish, and pulse 3 to 5 times or just until mixed.
- Line a pan with parchment paper.
- Roll mixture into small balls (approx 32-34 depending on size) and place on lined pan, top with reserved chopped dark chocolate. Put in refrigerator for approximately one hour or in the freezer for 20-25 minutes.
- Serve straight from refrigerator or allow to sit to room temperature, your preference!
- Store in an airtight container up to 10 days or freezer for a month.
Nutrition
Nutrition benefits taken from nutrition-and-you.com and healthbenefitsofeating.com.
