happy monday everyone!
did you all have nice weekends? my weekend was a mix of busy work and stress as well as lovely times spent with friends. sometimes amidst life’s hectic pace you have to force it to stop by taking time out to breathe, take a break and just enjoy what’s around you. this weekend’s adventures included going to the distillery district’s christmas market to get in the spirit (which i conveniently live 5 minutes from- you can bet i will be going a few more times before it’s over) and heading to a jazz club (the rex) for some wine and good conversation. i really needed the time to just tune out from school and all the stress. it’s a good thing i did too because this week is going to be busy!
christmas market courtesy of my roommate, corrine. isn’t it adorable? the distillery is this great little historic corner of toronto with specialty stores and great coffee. for the christmas market loads of stalls selling christmas-y wares are set up with a merry-go-round, beer tents, pony-rides and a huge christmas tree. i love it!
when life gets crazy, you can never have too many snacks lying around. since starting back up in school i have been a raw “bites” fanatic. seriously, i always have something like this in the fridge/freezer, sometimes multiple types and no combination is ever the same. they are just so portable, tasty and filling that you really can’t go wrong!
these are actually bites i made ages ago. my one’s lately have been date-free versions since the no sugar challenge i’ve been embarking on doesn’t allow for fruit, including dates. i will post a recipe for one of those ones soon. but for now, i will give you this super simple, nut-free date bite that is so simple and delicious, you’ll wonder why you ever buy store bought bars!
when choosing ingredients for these sunflower date bites, i wanted to keep them simple to all the individual ingredients would shine. sometimes i find i throw so many ingredients in, it’s kind of hard to distinguish what’s in them. don’t get me wrong, they always taste good, but i was craving a simpler, fuss-free free bite and these delivered.
plus bonus for those people who are allergic to nuts, these use sunflower seeds and sunflower butter for a delicious nut-free snack. if you are ok with nuts though, feel free to replace the seeds and/or butter with the nut of your choice. they will still be delicious!
these only take a few minutes to make so they are great for people in a rush. they travel easily and can be stored in the fridge or freezer, so you’ll always have a snack handy!
sunflower date bites (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, raw)
ingredients
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup dates
- 3 tbsp sunflower seed butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch sea salt
- 2 tbsp water
instructions
first process the seeds in a food processor until in small pieces, then add everything except the water and process until the dates are broken down. then add the water and process until you have a sticky dough. roll into balls and store in the fridge!
and speaking of needing to remember to take a break, i wanted to share this great graphic on the importance of doing just that. part of being a student means spending a lot more time than i'd like sitting- sitting in class then sitting studying at home. people with office jobs face the same problem. but we’d all be much happier, healthier and more successful if we just took time to breathe every once in a while and got up from our chairs. i have trouble doing this, but i’m always striving to find the balance that will let me!
thanks for this amazing graphic kayla!
have a lovely week everyone!
Hi Gabby! Do you remember approximately how many balls this recipe makes? Thanks so much!
Hey Stacy! I want to say around 12? Sorry, my memory is terrible and I never wrote it down!
No worries! A rough estimate is all I needed. :) Thanks!
I have this problem at work. I eat right and exercise but because I am at a desk job all day and everyday it’s been affecting my legs! I need to take more breaks for this reason alone!
I think we would all use this reminder- life these days is just way to much sitting!
Hey Gabby!
I’ve got an award for you over at my blog
http://www.skinny-vegan-food.com/2012/12/leibster-award.html
Feel free to play along or ignore it if you want!
Love & smiles xxx
Thanks so much Claire, I feel honoured :)
These looks easy and tasty! Love the board too, so true. Often I am more tired after a day of work and sitting at my desk all day than after a day of intense exercise or a race!
Thank you! Sitting is exhausting, it’s so strange! We all need to get up and move just a little more :)
YUM! I’ve made truffles like this before, but with pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and dried cranberries. Yours sound delicious, and you’re definitely right, these are perfect as snacks on the go.
Your combination sounds delicious too! That’s the beauty of raw bites :)
Now that I have a job (yay!) I definitely want some healthy snacks that can be eaten quickly, in 2 bites or so. Thank you Gabby for this recipe; it came just when I needed it!
Yay congrats on the job :) Hopefully these help make the transition nice and easy!
The sublet I’m moving into this Friday for a month? Right next to the Distillery District…
Whaaaaaat? That’s so close! A meet-up is in order soon :)
Definitely let me know when you're free, and we can go grab coffee/tea :) Hopefully soon I'll have a Canadian phone; my American one is super dodgy here!
Those bites look really lovely! It’s nice they can be enjoyed by those with nut allergies, I always forget about the poor sunflower seed. I don’t know how you’re doing a sugar free cleanse (including fruit!) I live on fruit, I’ll bet your system is getting really nice and alkaline!
Hehe that’s the hope Somer! I’m eating fruit again though and it tastes soooo good!
I have been all about the raw bites and bars these past few weeks. My food processor is working over time. These look fantastic. Great idea to use sunflower butter!
Thanks so much! I don’t know what I’d do without my food processor :)
Those signs are scary! Eek.
I’m glad you managed to get some relaxation into your weekend (and I hope this hectic week isn’t too bad) and I love the look of these bites :)
Thanks so much Kari :)
That market is perfection! Yay cute holiday things!!!!
And nothing beats a good “bite.” Question: what brand sunflower seed butter do you use? I have yet to find one that doesn’t include sugar. : (
So true, bites are amazing! I use this brand and product:
http://www.sunbutter.com/products-organic.php
It’s harder to find, but some health food stores carry it. I wish more did- why are the unhealthier versions of things always easier?? Not cool I tell you! Hope this helps thought! :)
I made these for breakfast the very day I got your email- YUM! Thanks for the great suggestion; I loved them!
That’s so great Amanda, glad you liked them :)
YUMMO! I love sunflower seeds, such a fabulous flavour. I’m so lucky to have NEVER worked a desk job…. I have worked many jobs, but never one that involved sitting all day – more like standing/running around all day – I definitely like ACTIVE jobs :) I get way too bored otherwise :)
I have only ever had one office job and it was only for a summer. Oh man I hated it!! Never again lol. I’m kind of glad I had that job though- showed me what I DON’T want ;)
OMG I LOVE the photo of the Christmas Market! I’ve been really getting into the holiday spirit lately. It’s such a special time of the year and I make sure to take a little bit of time each year and appreciate all of the hard work people put into their decorations. It’s a lot of fun and I’m glad you were able to get out and get your mind off of the stress for a little bit! That graphic is amazing and unfortunately I’m guilty of a lot of it. I really need to figure out how to make some changes. My eyesight has been going downhill rapidly and I just feel crappy all the time. It was a good wake up call!
Great snack idea! I love that you used sunflower seeds instead of nuts too. I tend to be allergy conscious when I cook for other people and it’s a nice reminder that you can substitute sunflower seeds and sunbutter for nuts. I’ll have to give these a try for sure! Thanks for the recipe!
Yes CHristmas activities are so crucial this time of year. Especially being in school, I find it’s so easy to get bogged down in it and forget there is a world going on around you. It’s nice having a roommate and coworkers to keep me more in the real world :)
That’s no good about your eyesight though! I can completely understand why it would be hard to change- some workplaces just aren’t conscious of all these things! But who better than to start making changes than us right?
So glad you like the look of the recipe my dear!
Ooh those date bites sound lovely. Your weekend sounds a bit like mine and I totally agree that getting out with friends and distracting yourself is so necessary when things get hectic!
Thanks Anna! I’m so grateful to have a few people here to help keep me grounded :)
Oh, I’m longing to return to the Christmas markets in Germany! There are so many to choose from in every town, but the best have roasted chestnuts for sale. A bagful of warm chestnuts in one hand and a glass of sweet mint tea in the other, and I’m in Christmas market heaven. That photo brings back such great memories. :)
Oh that Christmas market looks awesome! How fun =) It must be nice to live so closeby. What a great way to get out of your place and take a study break.
Those sunflower bites look awesome! I’ve been whining about the fact that I can’t seem to find my flavour of Lara bars anymore and why bother when I can make a perfectly great alternative?
Oh and on breaking from sitting, love this. Before studying to be a nutritionist, I used to work in the financial industry, which requires long hours. I was one of those lucky people that had an on-site gym and people would think I was nuts for hitting it up on my lunch break. I would give me that perfect energy boost to finish my day =)
What flavour of Larabars is your fav?
The beauty of Larabars is that they are made of such simple ingrediens, it’s so easy to remake them yourself- and you can make them organic which is a bonus!!
That’s so awesome you had a gym at work. I wish more places did that! I always try and tell people to take a walk at lunch too- it’s the little things that add up right?
Thanks for sharing this great recipe AND the graphic- I have been trying to avoid the computer when I get home and on the weekends , this was a nice reminder to get up and get moving at work more often too!….I always eat lunch at my desk, unfortunately we don’t have a break room at work that we can take our lunch at – everyone eats at their desks :(
That’s terrible about your work situation! I hate when workplaces make it so difficult for people to take breaks and just be well. hopefully when the whether is nicer you can eat outside or something!
That’s so funny! Since back in school, I’ve been eating a lot of raw, portable snacks, too–they’re the best. I laughed when I read the posterboard about relaxing. While reading it, I began blinking a bunch and un-hunched my back, too :)
For a project that I turned in last week, I looking into why it’s necessary for kids to have recess and all the evidence shows that kids–and adults–are more productive when they get frequent breaks. Intel even requires that their employees take multiple breaks throughout the day, and Google has a huge game room for their employees. It’s so easy to get stuck behind the computer (especially when you’re in school and have no life)–thanks for the reminder to get up and move!!
Haha that’s awesome- I have been sctively trying to sit up straighter in school now too :)
Raw snack are just so convenient aren’t they? and they keep for ages in the freezer :)
I try to take breaks when I can, even if it’s just a couple minutes to do a few stretches. sometimes even that makes a huge difference!
Sounds / looks like a very yummy treat which I will for sure make! I absolutely LOVE sunflower butter. It’s one of my favorites. So thanks for that AND I have to say, I love the graphic collage at the end. Brilliant! … it’s so important that we ARE reminded of how being sedentary CAN harm us in so many ways … and with these small efforts, it CAN make a huge difference. I love it and thank you! :)
Aww thank you Dana, I’m so glad you like the sound of it :) I loooove sunflower butter too!
N num nums! Ty for the recipe.
My question is how long will they keep in the fridge? Freezer?
These should keep in the fridge for at least a week and a half, in the freezer, indefinitely! Well 6 months-ish ;) Hope you like them!
I love sunflower butter! I just made something similar (with sugar) for a church event last weekend and noticed many people saying they had never tried sunflower seed butter before. Actually, it is one of the only butters I can use because it is nut free, so it is a staple in my kitchen! These look like a great snack-excited to try this recipe! Thanks!
Thanks Stephanie! Nuts are such a big part of my diet I forget sometimes that not everyone can do that! So glad I could make a recipe you can have! Hope you like them :)
Rob went to the CHristmas market on Friday and had fun.. but it was cold! yay for yummy treats. I have never tried sunflower seed butter… sounds interesting! I did, however, try pumpkin seed butter for the first time.. delicious! :) Good luck with your hectic week!
Yes it was a little chilly! Luckily I was prepard and bundled up! I love sunflower seed butter, and pumpkin seed butter is so unique! More savoury than other butters but totally delicious in its own right.
Thanks my dear!