Choco-Nut Energy Bites

The time, please? It's choc o'clock. Pure sticky, crunchy, nutty heaven! These chocolate bites are the perfect pick-me-up for dozy mornings and slow afternoons. No oven required, no dairy, gluten or refined sugar. Raw vegan, but still bursting with flavour and texture.

Makes: 24

Prepare: 20 minutes plus setting time

Cook: 5 minutes

Storage: Up to 14 days in an sealed container in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer.

Ingredients:

• 200g cashew nuts
• 150 pecan nut halves
• 75g gluten-free porridge oats
• 100g seed, berry, goji berry mix
• 9 pitted Medjool dates (about 180g), chopped
• 100g peanut butter
• 2tbsp coconut oil
• 2tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
• 1tbsp vanilla extract
• ½ fine sea salt

Chocolate topping:

• 100g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1tbs cocoa powder, sifted
• 2tsp vanilla extract

1. Place the nuts, oats and seed and berry mix in a food processor and whizz to a crunchy mixture. Add the remaining bar ingredients; whizz again until just combined. Transfer to a deep 20cm x 30cm tray lined with baking parchment and press into an even layer with back of a spoon. Chill while you make the topping.

2. For the topping, break the chocolate into small pieces and melt with the coconut oil in a heatproof bowl, either in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, beat the remaining ingredients until smooth.

3. Pour the chocolate over the nut mixture and spread with the back of a spoon until you have an even coating. Return to the fridge to set for about 1 hour, then cut into 24 squares (or more if cut smaller).