Raw Vegan Chocolate-Beet Truffles (They're Gluten-Free Too!)

Try as I might, I cannot deny my sweet tooth. I love vegetables and all things green, but after dinner you can usually find me searching the fridge for something to satisfy my sweet cravings. Sure, a piece of chocolate is great, but rarely does it end up being just one piece. A scoop of sorbet turns into the whole container, and a bite of a cookie turns into two or three (or more!).

Do I want a brownie? Sure. Am I going to feel good, physically and psychologically, after I eat one? Probably not. I want to honor my cravings, but more than anything I want to go to sleep feeling satisfied, not guilty.

Using as many whole ingredients as I could find, I set out to create a dessert that would satisfy my desire for indulgence, without leaving me with the post-brownie blues. With a base of naturally sweet beets and Medjool dates, a deep chocolate flavor, and the super-power of chopped nuts and chia seeds, these earthy, decadent little truffles are the answer to my prayers.

Chocolate Beet Truffles… the health conscious, junk food junkie’s solution to dessert.

Chocolate Beet Truffles [R, V, GF]

Makes approximately 12 1 oz. truffles

Directions

Add the nuts and chia seeds to a food processor, and process until finely chopped. Remove and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Add the pitted dates and beet pulp to the food processor, and process until the dates form a paste and start to clump together. Add the nuts, chia seeds, cacao powder, salt, and vanilla. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the agave. Continue to process until everything is incorporated and stuck together.

Grease your hands with a little coconut oil. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop the truffles into your hands and roll into a ball. Roll the ball in a bit of cacao powder to dust lightly.