I love browsing the raw section of the Co-op but it’s also semi-depressing because I refuse to spend $9 on a bag of coconut macaroons that I will finish off in one sitting (why fight the truth) and could just as easily make myself.
It serves as inspiration though.
Salted Chocolate Coconut Brownie Bites [vegan, gluten free, FODMAPs friendly*]
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 dates, pitted
- 2 1/2 tbsp brown rice syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt (+ more if desired)
- [if necessary] water
Directions:
Pulse coconut and walnuts in a food processor. Add in cocoa, dates, syrup and salt and continue to pulse. Add water if needed (it will depend on the freshness of your dates). I didn’t need any because I waited between pulsing for the oil to release from the walnuts (they’re a really oily nut!).
Roll into balls. Store in fridge or freezer.
Notes: Brown rice syrup can probably be exchanged with maple syrup, honey, or agave. Sub according to your diet and/or pantry.
Using coarsely ground sea salt makes these especially delish. There’s just something magical about salt and chocolate. I used Himalayan pink sea salt. It’s good stuff.
I thought these balls were good, but this recipe is pure freaking awesomeness.
*The chocolate issue is complicated. See this post for more info. Ever since a fellow FODMAPer pointed it out to me (hi Kathleen!) I’ve been reading up on my chocolate labels and it’s no easy feat figuring out what’s safe and what’s not. Ultimately, I think moderation is key as I seem to do fine with cocoa powder in most serving sizes. Baking with it, for example, means you’d have to eat almost the whole batch of whatever treat to hit the unsafe amount. Pure chocolate bars are a different story. Proceed with caution.
Yum! Chocolate and coconut sound SO GOOD together!
These sound awesome. I am not a HUGE fan of walnuts, though, but I am thinking that I might try it with almonds or cashews. Do you think that it would work the same with different nuts?
Hi Elise,
Just wanted to say thank you for all the great info on your site. I have IBS and I’ve found it challenging for many years. A low fodmap diet has been great for me, alas it’s hard to find vegetarian/vegan recipes. Im not a full time vego, and transitioning has its ups and downs. So many elements to juggle. Thanks for all your dedicated posting! You are awesome.
Best,
Carla L xx
Love these! I have chocolate caramel fudge with sea salt yesterday and this totally remind me of a healthy version (sans the caramel.) I bet they’re fab with that Himalayan sea salt. Can’t wait to make!
Just want to add that shredded unsweetened coconut is also high in fodmaps. I asked Kate Skalata and Patsy Castsos, two leading dieticians in fodmap diets.
I love bite sized treats! They are great because I usually find that I can be satisfied by a smaller sized treat; sometimes it’s better than indulging in a huge slice of cake solo. After a while ideal like I don’t want to eat anymore cake, but I do anyways. Haha
Sounds like a good recipe, is it 2 cups of dates though?
Oh wow, those look SUPER delicious! The perfect way to knock out a little chocolate craving 🙂
Nope. Just 2 dates. I’d imagine using more in place of the liquid sweetener could work…
Agreed!
Thanks so much! I’m glad you find hhh helpful 🙂
For sure! Any nut will sub! Macadamia nuts would be super good as well but yeah – cashew almond pecan – any raw nut!
Hi Elise! Thanks for the shout out!
I was going to write today anyway-I am not sure if you have heard of this but I went to a dietician my gastro dr referred me to and got food sensitivity test today. It is called MRT. Look up MRT/Leap diet and it apparently has a 91% accuracy rating-much more accurate than ELISA. My dietician says that her dietician colleague who specializes in SIBO (I had a positive breath test and also do much much better on low fodmaps) said that her clients have not needed to follow the fodmap diet when she has eliminated foods the client is highly reactive to per the mrt testing. It seems like it is the same theory in terms of following the diet for 3 months to allow for healing but you can add in the moderately reactive foods sometime in the middle. The problem with the diet is that there are only 120 foods and 30 additives so it can be restrictive but I am definitely willing to try it given the great success I have heard about. My dietician says she has clients who say they feel better than they ever have in their own lives. I am very excited. The test is about 295 but insurance might cover some if you have out of network coverage. I will let you know how he results match up with what I think affects me and also whether the diet works-maybe it is something you can check out too!
Hi Elise, I’m also following the low Fodmap diet so can’t wait to try these! I’ve made quite a few of your recipes as your dietary preferences are very similar to my own and I enjoy seeing new recipes on your blog. I wanted to ask your opinion on the dates – are these fresh dates? Am I right in thinking that these fodmap-friendly, whereas dried dates are not? Thanks for your help!
I miss chocolate. I can’t wait to see my doctor on the 12 and find out if I can start adding stuff back in. I must admit I’ve gone behind his back a bit as on here you say nut butters are allowed and put 100% natural (not homemade though) peanut butter on my Homemade Spelt Bread and Spelt Muffins (since I had to give up on my white breads). I have had way more good days than bad now that I’m on the right track after meeting a nutritionist. I still have to figure out dining out as I’ve gone out 3 times in the last 2 months …and plan to go away the weekend after my follow up with the gastroenterologist. Tonight I’m trying something new with allowed foods. I ordered ground mint online. That with some ginger, coriander, white vinegar and aspertame on chicken. We’ll see how that goes over with the family.
HAHA I love you for being just like me.. I love medjool dates and they’re worth paying for.. but sometimes I wish I wouldn’t eat 6 dollars worth at a time..
“Baking with it, for example, means you’d have to eat almost the whole batch of whatever treat to hit the unsafe amount.”
Ummm…you say that as if it is not a distinct possibility that I *could* eat the whole batch of whatever in one sitting. What? Just me? Hmmm…maybe it is better if I stay away from baked goods 🙂
Courtney
hahaha. funny bc when i wrote that i distinctly thought in my head “most people have more self control than you elise” – but i forgot youre my voracious appetite twin. 🙂
Sadly, it is totally no problem for me to take down a batch of whatever. If all of those balls were not gone that day, I would say you have amazing self control 🙂
Courtney
Yum! Those look so good. I’ve done the walnut, date, cocoa thing but haven’t added the coconut … but I will soon 🙂
These sound so good! I love having bites like this on hand to snack on during the week. Other than the brown rice syrup I already have all the ingredients on hand. maybe honey would work in place of the syrup.
I made these today with all the same ingredients except for honey in place of the brown rice syrup and they were seriously TASTY! I HATE dates and I loved these, so thanks for an AWESOME recipe! They really do taste like brownies… what?
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