Award Winning - Chewy Chocolate Coco-Nutty Super Puffs

I was traveling to visit my kids and granddaughter, and grabbed a bunch of ingredients, blended them up, and dehydrated them so I'd have a healthy snack to munch on while away. My daughter ended up eating most of them after her rigorous work-outs. I ended up leaving them behind for her to finish up. We stored them in the freezer, and found they tasted even better that way! As always, many of the ingredients can be eliminated or replaced. Let your creative juices flow...Update: So excited to be awarded a gift certificate by Nutiva for this recipe.



Chewy Chocolate Coco-Nutty Super Puffs

Ingredients:
1 young Thai Coconut (water and meat)
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
2 Tablespoons hemp seeds
2 cups walnuts (soaked overnight and rinsed well)
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 banana
4 medjool dates, pitted
2 Tablespoons grade B maple syurp (or your fav. liquid sweetener)
2-3 Tablespoons nut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 3 drops Medicine Flower Vanilla)
2 Tablespoons cacao paste, grated
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup goji berries
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup raisins
Optional: 2 drops Medicine Flower Dark Chocolate extract

Directions:
1. In blender or food processor, mix fresh coconut meat, chia, hemp, coconut water and 1 1/2 cups walnuts (setting aside 1/2 cup).

2. Add cacao powder (or carob powder), banana, maple syrup and nut butter, Mix until creamy.

3. Note: I have not tried this, but you can experiment and replace young Thai coconut with 1/2 cup dried coconut and 1 1/2 cups water add more water as needed.

4. Add flavored extracts, grated cacao paste and sea salt and mix well.

5. Add desiccated coconut, goji berries, raisins and remaining walnuts and pulse, leaving some small chunks in mixture.

6. Using a melon scooper, or tablespoon, scoop round balls onto a non-stick dehydrator sheet.

7. Dehydrate at 110 degrees F for 2 to 3  hours. Flip over onto mesh screen and dehydrate 10 to 12 hours.(flip a few times).

8. These are wonderful frozen.  If freezing, it's okay to leave creamy in the middle. If not freezing, and want to use for travel, use the bottom of a glass or lid and squash puffs into little cookies. Continue to dehydrate until dry, but chewy. These are great frozen too. (I did not take a photo of squashed puffs).

Note: Mention "Rawfully Tempting" in Shipping Comments, and Medicine Flower will send you a Special Bonus Sample with any order.