Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites {Refined Sugar Free}

I gave up refined sugar four weeks ago as part of the Barre 3, B3 All In Challenge. I also cut out gluten, dairy, coffee, and alcohol in my diet — all that on top of five barre workouts per week. If you have followed me for a while, you’ll know that this isn’t the first time I’ve done this sort of detox. I did Whole 30 before I had Ella, and I have taught many Paleo classes at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Ingredients

2 cups dates, pitted*
2 cups walnuts or almonds
1 cup dark chocolate chips, 60% or higher (If Paleo, get no sugar chocolate chips)
¼ cup cacao powder or coco powder*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, like Nielsen Massey
¼ teaspoon sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
½ cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut, optional
This is my version of the Barre 3 dark chocolate doughnut hole recipe by Andrea Nakayama. These are addictive! I have to store them in the freezer, so I don’t eat them all. You have been warned!

Instructions

In a medium bowl, soak the dates in just enough boiling water to cover them. About 1 ½ cups of water from the teakettle. Soak for 5 minutes and then drain them, this doesn't have to be perfect. A little water will actually make the "dough" smoother.
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor except the dates. Pulse a few times to break down the nuts, then add in the dates and pulse until it forms a cookie-dough like texture with not a lot of large chunks.
On a lined sheet of parchment, use a tablespoon or a mini ice cream scoop to portion out the dough.
Wet your hands with warm water to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands, and roll the dough between your palms to make a ball. You may need to slightly press together, if there are chunks.
Place the shredded coconut in a small bowl, and roll each ball until lightly coated.
Place in an airtight storage container. Let sit in freezer for an hour or so before eating.
Store in fridge up to one week or freezer up to 1 month. Let them come to room temperature for 10 minutes or eat cold as a delicious frozen treat!

Chef Carla Notes

You can use whatever dates you like. I get a big bag of 'Made in Nature', organic Deglet Noor dates at Costco. The difference between cacao and coco powder is the amount it’s processed. I am in love with Valrhona Cocoa Powder. It has a deep rich dark chocolate flavor.

I felt AMAZING for the first two weeks on the sugar detox — And then my son Massimo hit a sleep regression, which means he was up every single hour. I was so exhausted, I was like a drunken mama zombie! The sugar cravings hit and they hit hard. I have written about the science of this on my Instagram many times.

With Valentine’s Day (and all the sugary treats that come with) lurking around the corner, I figured I would give you some of my tips and tricks on how to beat those cravings. Let me know if you have any of your own tips in the comments, would love to hear! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Eat Well,

xo Carla

P.S. You can get the Stasher bag in the pic here.

Here are four tips to beat chocolate (or sugar) cravings, plus a recipe for a refined-sugar-free treat!

Breathe – Take five to ten deep belly breaths. When you take the breaths let your abdomen expand through your inhale and pull your belly towards your spine on the exhale. Sometimes counting can help, so breathe in for four counts and release for four counts. This brings oxygen to your brain and can help you make a better decision. You can even stop mid chocolate binge to do this, and may decide that you’ve had enough. Either way pausing for a moment will help you stay present during your eating experience.
Drink a glass of water – We often mistake hunger for thirst. If getting in your water is a challenge get a 32-ounce water bottle and fill it up twice a day (that’s your recommended water intake) or download the Waterlogged App and track your water for the day. You can even set up a reminder!
Drink of cup of hot herbal tea – Pick something along the lines of chamomile, peppermint, or ginger. To make it more soothing add your favorite milk — I love making an almond tea latte with chamomile and ginger tea bags. Drinking tea is comforting, and often we are looking for a stress relief in that bite of sugar or chocolate. Switching your focus to herbal tea can help you learn to distinguish a true craving instead of eating for emotional medication. Hint: A square or two is medicine; an entire chocolate bar is a binge. See the difference?
Eat the chocolate – Um what? Yup! Sometimes you just have to enjoy. Take a few deep breathes and savor each and every bite. Actually, chew that piece of chocolate cake. If you are at home, don’t eat it out of the box. Put it on a pretty plate, sit your butt down and eat it with a fork and a napkin like a human! Like I tell Ella, “put a napkin on your lap and eat like a lady (or gentleman)”.
Make this – Here is one of my favorite recipes that is refined sugar-free, if you want something more like a truffle. It’s my version of the Barre 3 dark chocolate doughnut hole recipe. They are such a perfect gift and they travel well, so bring them to a friend — or keep them at home to battle those 4:00 pm cravings.