Carrot Bites (A Raw, Gluten Free Treat)

Debbwl's Note:

These tasty carrot bites are nice to keep in the refrigerator for when you want a quick bite of something sweet, or need a little pick-me-up between meals or after a workout. Found this recipe on a blog called Daily Bites http://www.dailybitesblog.com/2010/04/15/carrot-cake-bites/. These little bites can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 15 small b ...

• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 5 -6 dates, pitted and roughly chopped (I use nice soft Medjool Dates)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (I use a little more to fit our taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 orange, zest of
• sesame seeds, for rolling in
• unsweetened dried shredded coconut, for rolling in

Directions:

1. In a food processor fitted with the S-blade, process carrots untill finely ground. Remove and set aside.
2. Process the walnuts and cashews in the food processor (no need to clean it out) until finely ground.
3. Add the dates and process until finely chopped and incorporated into the nuts.
4. Add the reserved carrots, ginger, cinnamon, orange zest (if using) and process until dough forms.
5. Shape the mixture into 15-18 small balls.
6. Roll in sesame seeds or shredded coconut to coat.
7. Refrigerate until ready to enjoy. Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Reviews

[Sydney Mike]

I'm with Lalaloula on this one ~ WOW! Absolutely wonderful little tasties! Loved the combo of carrots & dates (I had some very soft & delicious Medjool ones around!) along with the coconut! I'll be making these to share when I host my very next monthly meeting, & I'm already planning on having them around for the next several holidays! Delightful, to say the least! Thanks for sharing the recipe! [Tagged & made in Please Review My Recipe]

[Lalaloula]

WOW, Debbie, these little treats are amazing! They are so smooth, carroty, sweet and yummy! I rolled half of mine in coconut and the other half in cocoa powder. YUM! They were awesome, very moreish! While these dont taste like real truffles, they come close and are so healthy. Amazing! I dont own a food processor, so I hand-grated my carrots very finely and then used an immersion blender to combine them with the remaining ingredients. That worked out well, but my dates remained chunky. I liked that, but I might also try soaking them in water first to make them easier to blend. I only had 4 smallish ones left, but that was enough for my taste. Also I used cinnamon in place of ginger as a personal preference and all walnuts due to what I had on hand.
I had to leave out the orange zest due to allergy issues, but Im sure it would have been a nice addition.
These surpassed all my expectations and I will certainly make them again. They go straight into my best of 2012 cookbook and will be added to my easter menu. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing these gems with us, hon!
Made and reviewed for PRMR February 2012.