Promote Holistic Wellness With Mood-Boosting Chocolate, Chia and Coconut Chilled Cookies

This month I am focused on holistic wellness, which is all about taking care of your body, mind and spirit for optimal health! It’s about finding balance in every aspect of your life, from the things you do to the food you eat.

Because indulgence is part of balance, I wanted to share these delicious chocolate, chia, and coconut cookies. Besides satisfying your sweet tooth, they also provide you with plenty of essential nutrients, which means you’ll get an energy boost instead of a sugar crash.

Ingredients

• ½ cup walnuts

• 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted

• ½ cup shredded coconut

• 2 tbsp raw cocoa powder

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread out the walnuts on a baking sheet, then bake them in the oven for 4-5 minutes until they are lightly toasted. Only after they have cooled, remove the walnuts from the baking sheet and roughly chop them. Then place the dates, shredded coconut, cocoa powder, chia seeds, vanilla extract and ⅓ cup of the chopped walnuts in a food processor. Process the mixture until it is well-combined. Put the rest of the walnuts in a bowl. Roll a heaping teaspoon of the chocolate mixture from the food processor into a ball, slightly flatten the top and gently press it into the walnuts. Repeat until you have used all of the mixture - this should yield about 24 cookies. Store your cookies in an airtight container and let them chill in the refrigerator until firm. They’ll last you up to two weeks, so be sure to enjoy in moderation!