Cacao and Coconut Energy Bites

Picture the scene. It's around mid-afternoon, so naturally time for a big cup of something hot to keep you going for the last couple of hours of the working day. If you, like me, need a bit of sweetness with that 3pm cup of tea, I've got just the thing to stop you reaching for the custard creams.

These energy bites contain natural sweetness from organic dates and are packed with the supplement I've been having a total love-in with recently; maca powder. I can't stress enough the benefits of this malty goodness. It can reduce stress levels, regulate blood sugar levels, increase stamina and makes sure your hormones are in check.

I've adapted these from a recipe over on Laura's ever inspirational site, Wholeheartedly Healthy, but added some raw cacao powder into the mix for an extra bit of afternoon indulgence.


Here's what you're going to need

Cacao and Coconut Energy Bites
Makes 16

• 1 cup organic dried dates
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup maca powder
• 1 tbsp (heaped) raw cacao powder
• 2.5 tbsp coconut oil, melted

These couldn't be simpler to make. Whack the list of above ingredients into a food processor and once combined, drizzle in the melted coconut oil to bind. Roll into bite-size pieces, and hey presto - a batch of goodies to see you through the week. Once all assembled, store in an air-tight container in the fridge (they're even better when they're chilled).

Also, how canny is the little Enjoy plate in the above photo? I picked a couple of these up in TK Maxx whilst we had a bit of time to kill in Sheffield at the weekend, along with some cute Pantone plates.

What are your top tips to boost your energy when the dreaded 3pm slump hits?