Nut-free Chocolate Crunch Bites

I just returned from the first annual Food Allergy Blogger's Conference (FABlogCon), which was held in Las Vegas, NV.  What a great weekend of collaboration and inspiration!  Not to mention all of the fabulous swag!  One of the swag items, along with some popular pins on Pinterest, got my mental juices flowing to create some Nut-free Chocolate Crunch Bites.





One generous swag item I was very excited about was a new product by Don't Go Nuts - their new Non-GMO Chocolate Soy Butter. It's wonderfully delicious, and one taste inspired me to create an allergy-free version of the chocolate-peanut butter no bake cookies I fondly remember from my childhood.  
Of course, the original recipe contains peanut butter and milk, which are not options for my daughter, as well as loads of refined sugar.  These Nut-free Chocolate Crunch Bites contain absolutely no nuts or dairy, are sweetened with honey, and even contain a special ingredient that adds a nice crunch. 

These bites get their crunch from toasted buckwheat groats. Buckwheat groats can be found in bulk at most natural foods stores, including Whole Foods. To toast them, you simply heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes (stirring constantly) until they turn a darker brown color: 



After toasting the buckwheat, simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir well.  It does help to heat the honey up a little bit. 



I used my Pampered Chef medium scoop to scoop out the mixture into 1.5" balls and placed them on some parchment paper to harden.



Aren't they beautiful? These Nut-free Chocolate Crunch Bites are ready to eat right away, and they will harden a little bit with time.  They can be stored in an airtight container. 


Recipe:


Nut-Free Chocolate Crunch Bites

Prep time: 10 minutes
Yield: 20-22 balls
Ingredients
  • 1/2 c buckwheat groats
  • 1 1/2 c rolled oats (gluten-free)
  • 3/4 c Don't Go Nuts Chocolate Soy Butter
  • 1/2 c shredded coconut
  • 1/2 c honey
  • 2 T ground flax seed
  • 2 t vanilla
  • 1/2 t salt
Cooking Directions
  1. Toast the buckwheat groats in a saucepan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are darker brown.
  2. Mix the toasted buckwheat and the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated.
  3. Scoop out dough into 1.5" balls and place on parchment paper to harden.
  4. Enjoy!
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20 comments:

  1. Angie, these look awesome! I am a fan of the Don't Go Nuts brand! The chocolate is my favorite! I could eat it by the spoonful! Maybe, I should admit that? Ha! Thanks for creating such a yummy recipe and thanks for sharing it with me and all the folks at Gluten Free Fridays! :) Cindy

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    1. Thanks, Cindy! Yes, it's hard to control myself with that chocolate soy butter!

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  2. These look super tasty! I've never heard of buckwheat groats. Will have to look for them!

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    1. Thank you, Pam! Buckwheat groats are popular in the paleo world, but they really are quite easy to find. I get them from the bulk section at Whole Foods.

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  3. Oh those look soooo good! Unfortunately I had to leave the soy chocolate butter behind due to soy allergies. I bet I could do the same thing with chocolate sunflower seed butter though!

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    1. Thanks, Colette! You certainly could use chocolate sunflower butter. I'm sure it would be delicious!

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  4. Love your photos Angie, I've never worked with buckwheat groats - you may have inspired me to try!

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    1. Thanks, Homa! Can you believe I took those with my iPhone? Yes, you should try buckwheat groats. They add a nice crunch!

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  5. Mmmm! Someone made something similar to this with plain soy butter for my daughter's preschool snack last week. I bet your chocolate version is so much better! What a great idea to add the buckwheat groats! I have a few ideas for that soy butter as well . . . Lovely photos, too! See, no need for a DSLR. ;) It was wonderful meeting you at FABcon! Have a great weekend! -Rebecca

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, Rebecca! My iPhone 5 does take some pretty great pics, as long as the lighting is good! Can't wait to see your chocolate soy butter ideas. I'll add your blog to my Feedly! It was wonderful to meet you as well. I look forward to making a difference in the food allergy world together!

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  6. Love the creative use of the buckwheat groats - and the addition of the flaxseed. Impressive photos - cannot believe you took them with an iPhone!

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  7. Replies
    1. Thanks, Peggy! They are quite yummy. I have a hard time not eating a bunch. You should try them!

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  8. I have two jars of that chocolate soy butter and needed some recipe ideas - this is great! I just pinned it. Love the toasting buckwheat idea - this is new to me.

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  9. Those look absolutely addicting. I haven't tried buckwheat groats either. Would you say they compare to oatmeal well?

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    1. The buckwheat groats can be cooked like oatmeal (http://bit.ly/18mpwRL), but by themselves they are much crunchier than oats. Hope that helps!

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  10. These look great! I have also never heard of buckwheat groats and love the Don't Go Nuts Chocolate soybutter! My kids think it's awesome.. love the fact these are also egg-free and dairy-free too! Will make a great treat for my kids~

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    1. Isn't the Chocolate soybutter delicious?! Mine is mysteriously disappearing! ;-)

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  11. These look delicious Angie! I'm definitely looking for more ideas for the delicious chocolate soy butter. Thanks for sharing, I can't wait to try them!

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  12. Where could one find buckwheat groats free of contamination with peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame?

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