Paleo Almond Bites

Although I am again late on my weekly post, I first want to share this recipe with you. I had a gathering last night at which I decided to offer only paleo appetizers and treats. The food was a hit and sparked some great conversations about the benefits of the paleo lifestyle. Here is, by far, the most requested recipe. It's a modification of a recipe I make almost weekly, which is from one of my favorite paleo recipe sites, jensgonepaleo.

I prettied these up for the party using mini muffin tins. Typically, I press them in a 9x9 pan and drizzle chocolate over the whole thing. Just remember to cut the bars before the chocolate cools or it has a tendency to crack.

Ingredients
2 cups almonds (raw)
1/2 cup flax meal (ground flaxseeds)
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 cups pitted dates (I wanted them sweet, but you can use as little as 1 cup and they're still great)
1/2 cup unsalted creamy almond butter
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate (optional) - I use E. Guittard's 61% cacao semi-sweet chocolate wafers. I am afraid if it is too dark, I will have a hard time melting and drizzling it.

Preparation

1. Melt coconut oil using your preferred method (microwave or stovetop). Set aside.
2. Place all ingredients but coconut oil  and chocolate in food processor and pulse briefly until ingredients form a very coarse paste.
3. Slowly add coconut oil and pulse until well combined.
4. Using a small scoop or teaspoon, evenly distribute mixture into 36 mini muffin tins. Press each bite down firmly.
5. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or until mixture hardens.
6. In the meantime, in a double boiler or metal bowl set on top of a pan of boiling water, melt  chocolate. Spoon the melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle (available at some grocery stores and cooking retailers). You may also use a spoon to drizzle.
7. Remove each bite, using a small spatula or knife inserted along one edge to pop them out. Set bites, spaced fairly close together, on a sheet of parchment or wax paper set on top of a cutting board.
8. Using squeeze bottle or spoon, drizzle each bite with chocolate. Return bites to fridge until chocolate sets, about 15 minutes.
9. Store bites in refrigerator until ready to eat (or serve). If left at room temperature for too long, they tend to crumble.

These are great snacks and can really help satisfy a sweet tooth!