One day, several months ago, Mountain Man brought home some healthy snacks he found at our local health food store. They were pureed dates, rolled in shredded coconut. They went over with flying colors with him and the boys (I do not enjoy the texture of raw coconut, so these aren’t really my thing)…but the amount he got for the price he paid was less than stellar. I cannot justify spending almost $6 on a small little carton of these rolled balls of gooey goodness, that were gone within 2 days, when I can buy the ingredients and make three times as much for the same price.
It started with trial and error…simply placing the pitted dates in my food processor wasn’t working. They were too sticky, and just clumped into a big ball, and didn’t puree well. So my genius of a Mountain Man suggested I first puree some rolled oats, THEN add in the dates. It was perfect! The oats helped keep the dates from getting too concentrated in one giant lump…plus there’s added nutrients! Once everything was nicely pureed together, it was a bit too sticky to form into balls, so I stuck the mixture in the fridge for about an hour.
Y’all…this recipe is so easy. And if you like coconut, then this will be the perfect healthy snack for you and your family. Or if you’re like me and can’t stand the texture of raw coconut…then it’s a healthy snack for the rest of your family. Touching it and smelling it doesn’t bother me…even the taste, I can work with. But this is one snack that the Nugget asks for ALL. THE. TIME. So we keep it around. ALL. THE. TIME. But it’s ok, because it’s a healthy snack that he will actually eat. No arguments from this mama.
Also, did you know all of the health benefits of dates? Yeah, I didn’t either, until I started researching. Let me just lay it out for ya…
They are packed with: Vitamin B6, Niacin, Folate (hello, heart and brain health), Riboflavin, Vitamin K, Potassium, Manganese, Copper, Magnesium, and Iron. They are known to promote healthy bowel movements, boost energy and the nervous system, and strengthen bones, to name a few! Ok, so yeah, I’m good with feeding these to my kiddos.
So then all you really have to do is pick small pieces off, roll them into little balls, and roll in coconut.
Voila!
What you’ll need:
- 1 lb. Medjool Dates (pits removed)
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 Tbls flax seed (optional)
- 1/2 – 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Directions:
Step 1: Remove pits from dates and discard.
Step 2: Place oats (and flax seed if using) in food processor or blender and pulse until they are almost like thick chunks of dust.
Step 3: Add dates into food processor and pulse until chopped up and well blended with oat crumbles.
Step 4: Remove date/oat blend, form into giant ball, wrap in parchment paper, and place in fridge for about an hour.
Step 5: Pull small pieces off date clump, and roll in your hands to form little balls. Then roll each ball in the raw coconut.
Step 6: Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
