Too hot to walk or go canyoning, what’s a person to do?

With temperatures this weekend in the high 30s and low 40s, it was an enforced “home weekend” when Bailey and I had to cancel our proposed Rocky Creek trip.  So, I thought I’d make up some recipes a bushwalking friend of mine sent me.  This one got the thumbs up from my bridge partner Linda!

The recipe comes from Shirley, a true legend getting out there and walking when everyone else her age has called it quits – I want to be just like her when I grow up!

Whilst Linda gave it the thumbs up, she and I both agree that it isn’t as good as the green balls that I made a few months ago, but definitely one for chocoholics!

RECIPE*

• 2 cups moist Medjool pitted dates, I couldn’t find these so used ordinary dates and soaked them in water for an hour.
• 2 cups raw cashew nuts
• 1/2 cup raw almonds (without skin), I actually used 1/2 cup almond meal
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 – 3 tbsp. cold water (I actually didn’t need this)
• I added some Spirullina although this wasn’t in the original recipe!

1.  combine dates, cashews, almonds, cocoa powder and sea salt in a food processor.
2. Pulse and process all the ingredients together until the texture is coarse.  I had a bit of a problem with this part, my food processor is too small so I had to do it in batches, would have been better with a bigger machine.
3. Add shredded coconut, give a quick pulse
4. Add vanilla extract and a little water slowly until it reaches a dry but moist dough consistency.
5. I rolled most of it out in balls (and rolled in more coconut, you can’t have too much coconut), and then rolled some out to make some bars.
6. Chill for about an hour before serving.

Not sure which I prefer but will definitely be taking some on the next trip to get me up the hills!

• Recipe from www.seasaltwithfood.com