Coconut Pistachio Bites

Coconut Pistachio Bites
(AKA Not Chocolate Chip Cookies)

It’s recommended that you don’t work out for 6 weeks after having a baby. I really love to exercise – Pilates, running, barre, walking. I’m just a better person when I exercise regularly. When I was 41 weeks pregnant, I was running laps at the Y. That’s not me bragging, I looked and felt absolutely ridiculous, but when you’re 100 weeks pregnant, you’ll do anything to not be pregnant. Anyway, I thought I would go crazy not being able to exercise for those 6 weeks. Nope. You know what’s better than exercise? Holding your new baby and never wanting to put him down.

In that time I did a little walking. Walking from the couch to the kitchen to get another chocolate chip cookie.

I wish I could blame my cookie addiction on nursing, but I love sweets and always have. I’m not one of those people who are like, “Just a square of dark chocolate after dinner and I’m satisfied!” And I’m not going to tell you that this recipe is a perfect replacement for a cookie, but it checks of the sugar box for me throughout the day. And even though this recipe has sugar in it, it’s still a vast improvement from where I was 2 weeks ago.

Coconut Pistachio Bites
(Makes 12 bites)

This is an adaptation of a recipe from my friend, Kristin 🙂

 1 cup of unsalted shelled pistachios
½ cup of unsweetened coconut, plus more for rolling
6 dates, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and pitted
1 tablespoon of flax
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
A few pinches of salt
¼ a cup of chocolate chips
Cocoa powder for rolling, optional

Directions:

1. Combine pistachios, coconut, dates, flax, maple syrup, and salt in a food processor. Blend until the mixture comes together.
2. Add in chocolate chips and blend until they’re combined with the nut mixture.
3. Roll into 1-inch bites. Roll in optional coconut or cocoa.

Question:
What are you craving right now?