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March 26, 2015

by Alyssa

Superfood Chocolate Brownie Energy Bites

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These little brownie energy bites are full of superfoods, so with each bite you'll get the flavor of a brownie with nutrients, protein and healthy fats!

Chocolate Brownie Energy Bites made gluten-free & vegan PLUS with loads of other superfoods | simplyquinoa.com

Well, friends, we're at it again. Making little balls of energizing deliciousness.

Except for this time, we're not going in the cookie-flavored direction. Nope, today we're talking chocolate brownie energy bites. They're rich, fudgy, nutty, chocolatey and sweet. Basically, everything that I adore about a good brownie. Except hey, these are actually good for you!

I've packed these little balls FULL of superfoods, so with each bite, you'll get all the flavor of a brownie with all the nutrients of these superfoods.

Chocolate Brownie Energy Bites made gluten-free & vegan PLUS with loads of other superfoods | simplyquinoa.comWhat is a superfood?

You often hear that this food or that food is a superfood, but what does that really mean? Does it mean that if we eat it we're going to have superpowers? Well…not exactly, but close!

Essentially, a superfood is a food with a highly-concentrated amount of nutrients that has health-promoting properties and is especially good for your health and well-being. Think things that are super high in antioxidants, trace minerals and other properties that are hard to find in your regular, everyday diet.

There are a bunch different lists of the world's superfoods, but my feeling is that there are hundreds (if not thousands) of these “superfoods” in the world and it's better to take all those lists you've found and combined them rather than just listening to one source of information.

For this recipe, I chose to go in the superfood powder direction. The base of these energy bites is my normal recipe – a mixture of dates, nuts, and quinoa – but this time I've included three of my favorite superfood powders to give these babies an extra kick. Maca, spirulina, and cocoa.

The best superfood powders and why they're so healthy | simplyquinoa.com

These are three superfoods that I eat on an almost daily basis. Whether it's in a smoothie, my oatmeal or these brownie energy bites, I really love the benefits they have on my mood and energy. Plus, they're actually quite tasty (although spirulina might take you a little while to get used to).

Here's a little run down on each powder:

1. Maca

Maca is a plant found in the high altitudes of Peru and Bolivia, used by indigenous Andean societies for its superfood qualities. This powder is made from the root of the plant and is known to nourish the body’s endocrine system and help us cope with stress. Maca also energizes naturally, without the side effects that you get from caffeine. Additionally, maca is well known for regulating hormone balance, increasing fertility and is even believed to be a strong aphrodisiac.

2. Spirulina

 Spirulina is a blue-green algae that's found in pristine freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers. It's a superfood in every sense of the word – it's packed with vitamins and minerals, helps almost every organ in our body AND it's high in protein. In fact, gram for gram, spirulina has more protein than beef, poultry, fish and soybeans. It also has 4x the antioxidants of blueberries. Spirulina's main benefits are that it helps with eye and gut health, strengthens the immune system and helps the body detoxify.

3. Raw Cacao

Raw cacao powder (yes, the stuff we use to make chocolate) is one of the world’s richest sources of antioxidants and most powerful superfoods. Cacao is very high in essential nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, and iron. It has been used to support heart health, lower the blood pressure, improve circulation and even suppress the appetite. Finally, as if we needed another reason to love chocolate, cacao is also a concentrated form of dietary fiber.

Chocolate Brownie Energy Bites made gluten-free & vegan PLUS with loads of other superfoods | simplyquinoa.com

So yes, I've packaged up these little superfoods and put them into these tasty treats. So I like to think of these chocolate brownie energy bites as more than just energy bites, these are little balls that will help you look and feel your best.

More Healthy Energy Bite Recipes:

Superfood Chocolate Brownie Energy Bites

I've packed these little brownie energy bites FULL of superfoods, so with each bite you'll get all the flavor of a brownie with all the nutrients of these superfoods.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Feeze 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 24 Bites
Calories 81kcal
Author Alyssa
Print Pin
superfood chocolate energy bites
4.08 from 13 votes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add walnuts to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are chopped into a coarse meal. Add dates, quinoa and powders and process again until combined.
  • With the food processor running, add the syrup and coconut oil and let run until a dough begins to form.
  • Remove lid and roll dough into 1" balls. Place balls on a plate or tray and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight container for storing.
  • Store in the freezer for up to two months.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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About Alyssa

Hey there, I’m Alyssa Rimmer, a certified Holistic Nutritionist, yoga-lover, dog mom, and founder of Simply Quinoa. It’s nice to meet you! I created SQ as a way to provide solutions for women just like me, who were struggling to find helpful information about how to live a healthy and fulfilled life. My hope is that you will find inspiration here on SQ – in my story, in my recipes, in the hundreds of wellness articles, and in our amazing community. Welcome!

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  1. 9 Easy Ways To Add Some Spirulina To Your Diet And Give Your Body What It Deserves ~ Relax lang Mom! says:

    […] Simply Quinoa’s recipe, however, focuses on a rich, chocolate flavor packed with superfood benefits from the likes of spirulina, maca, and cacao. […]

  2. Hi Alyssa…love the look of this Recipe…am looking to buy a food processor…would I need one with a DOUGH BLADE to make this recipe? Thanx!

  3. 9 Easy Ways To Add Some Spirulina To Your Diet And Sacrifice Your Body What It Deserves says:

    […] Simply Quinoa’s recipe, however, focuses on a rich, chocolate flavor parcelled with superfood the potential benefits of the likes of spirulina, maca, and cacao. […]

  4. 9 Easy Ways To Add Some Spirulina To Your Diet And Give Your Body What It Deserves - Weight Loss Diet 2 Fitness says:

    […] Simply Quinoa’s recipe, however, focuses on a rich, chocolate flavor packed with superfood benefits from the likes of spirulina, maca, and cacao. […]

  5. […] Simply Quinoa’s recipe, however, focuses on a rich, chocolate flavor packed with superfood benefits from the likes of spirulina, maca, and cacao. […]

  6. Hi Alyssa
    I’ve been following your youtube channel for a while now and have tried out some of the recipes with extremely good results, but this recipe has topped all! I’ve changed up a few things, not because I wanted to mess with perfection, but simply because I didn’t have all the ingredients in my cupboard. I changed the quinoa (I know this is complete sacrilege!) for oats and I didn’t have any coconut oil, so I added a few apricots(6) to help bind the mixture and it completely worked! I only had to use 3 dessert spoons of maple syrup, and although my hands looked a bit of a mess as I rolled the balls, I froze them as you said and, OMG, never will I ever have to suffer a chocolate craving again! And I’ve learnt how to use spirulina and maca powder to boot! Win Win Win 🙂 Thank you so much for the recipe!

  7. 9 Easy Ways To Add Some Spirulina To Your Diet And Give Your Body What It Deserves | BuzzWare says:

    […] Simply Quinoa’s recipe, however, focuses on a rich, chocolate flavor packed with superfood benefits from the likes of spirulina, maca, and cacao. […]

  8. 9 Easy Ways To Add Some Spirulina To Your Diet And Give Your Body What It Deserves – Millionaires Living says:

    […] Simply Quinoa’s recipe, however, focuses on a rich, chocolate flavor packed with superfood benefits from the likes of spirulina, maca, and cacao. […]

  9. 9 Easy Ways To Add Some Spirulina To Your Diet And Give Your Body What It Deserves – Health Alert 365 says:

    […] Simply Quinoa’s recipe, however, focuses on a rich, chocolate flavor packed with superfood benefits from the likes of spirulina, maca, and cacao. […]

  10. 9 Easy Ways To Add Some Spirulina To Your Diet And Give Your Body What It Deserves | Experiencing Angina Pain? says:

    […] Simply Quinoa’s recipe, however, focuses on a rich, chocolate flavor packed with superfood benefits from the likes of spirulina, maca, and cacao. […]

  11. I had no idea of the benefits of those superfood powders! Thanks for sharing. Will see if i can find some at my bulk food store 🙂

  12. I’m wondering how much quinoa flour to use if it’s already ground into flour? I’m thinking if you take 1/3 cup of quinoa and grind it into flour, you end up with more like 1/4 cup flour. Anybody know if that’s accurate? Thank you! Can’t wait to try these!

    • Just made these and they are GREAT!! I used 1/4 cup toasted quinoa flour. I omitted the spirulina, since I don’t have that. I rolled them in three different things: shredded coconut, chopped nuts, and cocoa powder. My kids and I all agree that these are winners!!

  13. I love healthy this are and how delicious they must taste. I would be snacking on these all day long! xo, Catherine

  14. these sound incredible – I am using more walnuts lately, having just rediscovered them, really. I have everything to make these now, if you can believe it! 🙂

  15. With the spiraling you say we might have to get used to, is it the flavor, texture or does it make your stomach feel funny? Can you please elaborate? I would like to make them this weekend

    • I also wasn’t a fan of dates, but you don’t taste them here at all because of the cacao, just sweetness, which is not too strong. I have done this in many recipes. If you aren’t convinced you can use prunes.

  16. Due to corn allergy Maca is not something I will be adding – is there something else to use instead? Or can I simply not put in?

  17. Alyssa, these brownie energy bites looks simply delicious! I had no idea about macs powder and spiraling. Thanks for educating us on this. 🙂

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