We’re all human so it’s normal that we crave something sweet every now and then (or everyday…). If you never indulgence in your cravings however, you’re setting yourself up to fail in the future. Treat yourself once in awhile and you won’t be tempted to eat something at a later date that may hinder all your efforts. The below recipes keep rather well so go ahead and make a big batch for you and your family. This way, if you’re feeling a wee bit peckish, you have something tasty already prepared! Next time you’re making your child’s lunch, try replacing their usual desert with one of the below bites. No need to tell them it’s good for them…

Avocado Fudge Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado, ripened
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup cocoa
• honey or maple syrup to taste
• unsweetened shredded coconut

Once coconut oil is melted, puree with avocado in food processor or blender until perfectly smooth. Be sure there are no chunks of avocado left!

Return mixture to saucepan over very low heat and add the rest of the ingredients, except the shredded coconut.

The mixture should be thick. Form into balls then roll into coconut. Put in freezer.

Banana Protein Bars 

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant oats
• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 scoops or 42 grams vanilla protein powder
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp almond flour
• 1 tbsp agave syrup
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• Sprinkle of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Blend bananas, almond milk and protein powder in a blender. Pour into a bowl.
2. Add chia seeds and let sit for 15 minutes
3. Add all other ingredients, stir to combine. (It will be thick)
4. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Spread evenly.
5. Bake for 12 minutes.  Allow to cool.
6. Slice evenly and wrap in plastic or a small plastic baggies.

Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies (Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

Makes 10 brownies

• 2 medium to large sweet potatoes (600g)
• 2/3 of a cup of ground almonds (80g)
• 1/2 a cup of buckwheat or brown rice flour (100g)
• 14 medjool dates
• 4 tablespoons of raw cacao
• 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
• a pinch of salt

Start by pre-heating the oven to 180C, and then peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into chunks and place into a steamer for about twenty minutes, until they become really soft.

Once they are perfectly soft and beginning to fall apart remove them and add them to a food processor with the pitted dates – this will form one of the sweetest, creamiest, most delicious mixes ever!

Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl, before mixing in the sweet potato date combination. Stir well. Place into a lined baking dish and cook for about twenty minutes, until you can pierce the brownie cake with a fork bringing it out dry.

Remove the tray and allow it to cool for about ten minutes – this is really important as it needs this time to stick together! Remove the brownies from the tray, leaving it another few minutes before cutting them into squares – then dig in and enjoy!

Quinoa and Cacao Crispy Treats

Ingredients:

Makes 20 treats

• 1 and ½ cups of popped/puffed quinoa (60g)
• 1/3 of a cup of raw cacao powder 
(80g)
• 6 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
• 5 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons almond butter (or other nut butter)
• Small/bite-sized cupcake cases

Place the coconut oil, cacao powder, maple syrup and almond butter into a saucepan and gently heat it for a few minutes until it’s totally smooth and melted. While this melts pour the quinoa pops into a mixing bowl.

Once the mix has melted pour it over the quinoa pops and stir it all together, until all the quinoa pops have been covered in chocolate.

Scoop the mix into small cupcake holders and place them in the freezer for twenty minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Blackberry Apple and Maple Crumble

Ingredients:

For the topping:

• 1 and 1/2 cups of oats
• 1 cup of almonds
• 1/3 of a cup of pure maple syrup
• 3 heaped tablespoons of coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon

For the fruit layer:

• 6 red apples
• 2 cups of blackberries
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup (optional)
• 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon

Start by making the crumble layer. Simply place the almonds in a food processor and blend for a few minutes until a flour forms, then add this flour to a mixing bowl with the oats. Next place the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon in a saucepan and gently heat until the coconut has melted and everything has mixed nicely – pour this over the oaty almond mixture and stir well until all the dry ingredients are coated with the maple mix. Then leave this bowl to one side.

Next peel the apples and remove the core, cutting the remaining section into roughly 8-12 pieces. Place these in a sauce pan along with the blackberries and a enough boiling water to just cover the bottom of the pan, probably about a cm’s worth. Then add the extra maple syrup if you’re using it plus the cinnamon before putting the lid on the pan and allowing it to simmer for about ten minutes, until the fruit is nice and soft. While this cooks pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Once the fruit is soft transfer it into the bottom of your baking dish and layer the topping above it. Then bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is nicely browned. Finally serve and enjoy!

Banana Bread Energy Bites

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of almonds
• 2 cups of medjool dates
• 2 over-ripe bananas
• 1/2 a cup of ground flaxseed
• 3 tablespoons of maca
• 3 tablespoons of chia seeds

First place the almonds in your food processor and blend for a minute or two until they break up and start to form flour like mix. Then gradually add the pitted dates, peeled bananas, flax, maca and chia as the mix continues to blend. After a few minutes the mixture should be smooth and sticky, at which point the balls are ready to be rolled.

Simply use a teaspoon to scoop up a batch of the dough, and then roll it in your hands to form a ball. Place the ball on a plate and continue doing the exact same thing until you’ve used all the mixture. If you want to add goji

berries or chia seeds to the outside then roll the balls in either before placing the plate of bites in the freezer for a couple of hours to set before enjoying. Store them either in the fridge or freezer.

The Ultimate Energy Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of medjool dates
• 3/4 of a cup of almonds
• 3/4 of a cup of walnuts or any other nut
• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of hemp protein powder
• 1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder

Start by placing the almonds, walnuts, ground flax seed and chia seeds in your food processor. Blend for 1 minute, until the flour forms and the nuts have crumbled.

Then add the remaining ingredients, pitting the dates before adding those. Blend for another minute until a stick dough forms.

Use your hands to roll the mixture into little balls, place in a bowl and store in the fridge.

Bite and enjoy! Just try not to eat them all at once!