Calibrate Your Day: Holiday Sweet Recipes

The holidays are filled with sweet and warm flavors that can give you a sense of comfort (much needed in this strange 2020 season). Here are two quick and healthy holiday-inspired recipes from Stephanie Middleberg, MS, RD, CDN, that not only hit that flavor mark, but also help satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you feeling satisfied and your energy up throughout the day.

Lemon-Coconut Energy Bites - Green

Yield: About 32

Ingredients:

• ½ cup almonds (raw or roasted)
• ½ cup raw cashews
• Generous pinch fine sea salt
• 2 cups pitted dates
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (plus more for rolling, optional)
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

Place nuts and salt in a food processor; pulse to chop. (Do not overprocess and turn nuts into butter.) Transfer to a bowl. Add dates, zest and juice to the processor; pulse to form a paste, stopping to scrape down the processor once or twice. Add nuts, coconut and chia seeds; pulse several times until all ingredients are well chopped and combined. Use two spoons or a small ice-cream scoop to portion into balls. Roll in additional coconut, if desired. Store covered in the fridge or freezer.

Oatmeal Cookie Dough Energy Bites - Yellow

Yield: About 25

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pitted dried dates
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use steel cut or instant)
• ½ cup hemp seeds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Generous pinch fine sea salt
• ¼ cup 75% dark chocolate chips (or raisins)

Directions:

Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor; process until everything is chopped and well combined, stopping to scrape down the processor as needed. Fold in chocolate chips. Use two spoons or a small ice-cream scoop to portion into balls. Store covered in the fridge or freezer.

(Originally published by Beth Lipton of Middleberg Nutrition in Health Magazine).

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