Spice Bites | 5 Days of Sugar-Free Treats
Santa’s officially in pre-preparation for his flight across the house-lit skies.
And, as we know, for his generosity, and trouble, he expects a full plate of cookies when he arrives.
This time of year, so do I.
The shorter, colder days, the longer, darker nights. The thoughtfully hung lights, the extensive pumpkin spice.
And that feeling of bundling and cuddling in as we’re enveloped by the warmth of a fireplace (or the video of a fireplace, combined with the warmth of a powerful heating unit).
Something about it purrs: “I’ll take my sugar now, please”
Your wish is my command…
Welcome to 5 Days of Refined Sugar-Free Treats
These are my healthy, decadent holiday treats made without refined sugar. Every recipe is sweetened with fiber-packed, brain-healthy, antioxidant-rich dates.
Day One: Spice Bites.
These vegan, gluten-free bites are spiced with cardamon, cinnamon, and nutmeg and are nice and crisp on the outside while remaining soft and decadent on the inside.
Plus, they come with a beauty bonus: ingredients that are fantastic for your skin health, brain health, and more.
Health-Packed Ingredients in Spiced Bites
The Health Benefits of Dates
Dates are packed with nutritious goodies including calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin K, fiber, and more. But it’s one little-known exceptional benefit of the fruit that elevate it to a-whole-nother level. That is: a diet rich in dates is research-studied to protect the brain and aid in the prevention of Alzheimer’s.
The nih.gov article, Diet rich in date palm fruits improves memory, learning and reduces beta amyloid in transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, states:
“Date palm fruits are a good source of dietary fiber and are rich in total phenolics and natural antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, ferulic acid, protocatechuic acid and caffeic acid. These polyphenolic compounds have been shown to be neuroprotective in different model systems.”
Their results: “Our results suggest that date fruits dietary supplementation may have beneficial effects in lowering the risk, delaying the onset or slowing down the progression of AD [Alzheimer’s Disease].
That’s a powerful refined-sugar replacement.
Spice Bites’ Additional Health-Packed Ingredients:
Almond Flour
Almond flour is a gluten-free substitute for regular flour that’s rich in vitamin E, which boosts skin health and supports your immune system; magnesium, which helps regulate blood pressure, keeps bones strong, and assists in stress management; healthy fats that promote brain health and reduces inflammation; and protein and fiber which keep you full longer and aid digestion.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are high in eye, skin, and brain health promoting beta-carotene, immune system supporting vitamin C, and fiber which keeps your digestive system running smoothly, Specifically, they’re rich in soluble fiber, which absorbs water and forms a gel-like consistency in your gut. This slows digestion and feeds the healthy bacteria in your microbiome. A balance of these “good bacteria” can reduce bloating and gas while aiding nutrient absorption.
Ground Cardamon
Cardamon is quickly becoming one of my favorite spices to add warmth and layers to sweetness. Aside from its delightful flavor profile, its anti-inflammatory and aids digestion, works against inflammation by fighting the free radicals that trigger inflammation, and may support lung health by calming irritated airways and reducing joint pain caused by swelling.
Ground Cinnamon
Cinnamon is often hailed for its ability to help manage blood sugar. It does this by improving your cells’ ability to use insulin effectively and may also reduce sugar absorption after meals.
Ground Nutmeg
In addition to containing powerful antioxidants, ground nutmeg has natural calming properties. It contains compounds that support relaxation, working almost like a gentle nudge for your nervous system.
Pepper
So far, we’ve talked about a lot of awesome nutrients. Pepper helps you better absorb them and enhances the effects of antioxidants in other ingredients.
Vanilla Extract
More than just a flavor enhancer, vanilla has properties that can reduce inflammation and improve mental health. And its sweet aroma alone can elevate your mood, making each bite a little piece of happiness.
Now, let’s get down to the fun part––crafting these crave-worthy treats.
Recipe
Ingredients
2 Cups Almond Flour
6 Tablespoons Cooked Sweet Potato (about 1 large sweet potato)
6 Medjool Dates (pitted)
2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Pinches Cayenne Pepper
Olive oil or cooking spray (for oiling bottom of pie pan or baking sheet)
Instructions
Poke holes at the top of raw potatoes with a fork––about 3 pokes each––and bake at 400 ℉ for about an hour, until fork tender. This can be done earlier in the day, or the day before, and refrigerated. It does not need to be warm or hot to mix, just tender.
Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil with olive oil or cooking spray, or oil a glass pie pan.
Soak your pitted dates for 15 min - 30 min. Then drain. You can squeeze any remaining water out with a paper towel by laying the towel over the drained dates and pressing down, just to soak a bit more of the water out.
In a food processor, add all of your ingredients––almond flour, sweet potatoes, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, cayenne pepper, and Medjool dates.
Process on HIGH until it forms a sticky, firm dough.
Roll into small balls and place each on your baking sheet or pie glass.
Bake bites for 14-18 minutes until edges are dry.
Remove from oven and let bites cool 5 to 10 minutes. You could then transfer onto a cooling tray and cool another 30 minutes. But I do quite enjoy these warm.
Enjoy!
Once COMPLETELY cooled, store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours.
Spice Bites
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Almond Flour
- 6 Tablespoons Cooked Sweet Potato (about 1 large sweet potato)
- 6 Medjool Dates (pitted)
- 2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamon
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Pinches Cayenne Pepper
- Olive oil or cooking spray (for oiling bottom of pie pan or baking sheet)
Instructions
- Poke holes at the top of raw potatoes with a fork––about 3 pokes each––and bake at 400 ℉ for about an hour, until fork tender. This can be done earlier in the day, or the day before, and refrigerated. It does not need to be warm or hot to mix, just tender.
- Preheat oven to 365 ℉. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil with olive oil or cooking spray, or oil a glass pie pan.
- Soak your pitted dates for 15 min - 30 min. Then drain. You can squeeze any remaining water out with a paper towel by laying the towel over the drained dates and pressing down, just to soak a bit more of the water out.
- In a food processor, add all of your ingredients––almond flour, sweet potatoes, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, cayenne pepper, and Medjool dates.
- Process on HIGH until it forms a sticky, firm dough.
- Roll into small balls and place each on your baking sheet or pie glass.
- Bake bites for 12-16 minutes until edges are dry.
- Remove from oven and let bites cool 5 to 10 minutes. You could then transfer onto a cooling tray and cool another 30 minutes. But I do quite enjoy these warm.
- Enjoy!
- Store in airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours, then store in fridge. But chances are these will be gone pretty immediately :)
Notes
The majority of that prep time is cooking the sweet potatoes. If that was done earlier in the day or the night before, or if you are using leftover sweet potatoes, you're looking at about 20 min prep time.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
111Fat
7 gSat. Fat
1 gCarbs
11 gFiber
2 gNet carbs
8 gSugar
6 gProtein
3 gSodium
3 mgCholesterol
0 mgServing is one Spice Bite.
All nutritional info is rounded estimates and not meant to be considered absolutes.
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