Walnut Cacao Superfood Bites

Walnuts: the base of these superfood bites – crushed walnuts give a melt-in-your-mouth feel and a neutral, earthy flavor.

Hemp hearts: high in protein and fiber, these add nutrient density and plant diversity.

Cocoa powder: gives the superfood bites their chocolate-forward flavor and rich, mahogany appearance.

Dates: naturally sweeten the superfood bites, add volume, and bind the mixture together.

Cacao nibs: add crunch and an extra pop of chocolate flavor.

Sea salt: cuts through any bitterness from raw cocoa and walnuts – do not skip this one. 

Vanilla: adds a nostalgic, sweet undertone to the flavor.

Reishi (optional): mushroom powder is used to add a boost of health-promoting compounds. 

Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory Activity: extracts of G. lucidum have repeatedly shown in in-vitro and animal studies to reduce oxidative stress, protect cellular DNA from damage (e.g. exposure to free radicals), and improve antioxidant markers in blood.¹

Immune Support: bioactive compounds from reishi have been found to stimulate immune cells, increasing production of cytokines (e.g. IL-1, IL-6, IFN-γ) and enhancing activity of natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages.¹

Metabolic Effects: Animal studies have shown that certain reishi extracts can lower blood glucose levels, improve insulin activity, and reduce markers related to oxidative stress in diabetic models.¹

Anti-Cancer Effects: human evidence is limited but interesting. One research paper found a dose-dependent improvement in cognitive function among people who consumed reishi mushrooms.² Another review looking at reishi mushrooms and cancer reported that, when combined with chemotherapy, reishi mushroom consumers had 50% greater chances of a positive tumor response to cancer treatment.³ These studies have a number of limitations and do NOT provide enough evidence to deem reishi as medicinally effective treatment for cancer patients.

Terpenes: major group of active compounds, including ganoderic acid and lucidenic acid. These are responsible for much of reishi’s bitter taste and have been tied in research to liver protection, cholesterol modulation, anti-inflammatory effects, and possibly supporting metabolic health.¹

Polysaccharides: an umbrella group of complex sugar-based molecules that can be found ubiquitously throughout the plant and animal kingdom in a variety of configurations. The subclasses found in the G. lucidum have shown immunostimulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and, in some studies, tumor-inhibiting effects.¹

Others: Reishi contains proteins, lectins, phenols, chitin, and a variety of minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, selenium, etc.) that may contribute in supporting overall wellness.¹

Blending

Be patient & scrape down the sides between pulses. 

Dates

Only choose the squishiest medjool dates – dry, hard dates will not bind. Next time you’re shopping, be sure to test them in the store by pressing hard on the plastic container (or gently if they’re in a bag). The best dates are soft to the touch.

Adding liquids

This recipe is super sensitive to liquids – if your dough is dry, only add a few drops (yes – drops!!) of plant milk to help it bind. Adding too much will result in a “mud pie” texture that will not hold shape. 

Do not soak your dates

Many other recipes will suggest soaking dry dates in water, but for this recipe it is key that you do not soak your dates! The free water added from soaking will ruin the texture of these superfood bites. The best choice is to select squishy, soft dates in the store.