A Mood-Stabilizing Nut Butter Cookie Bites Recipe, From An Integrative & Functional Dietitian
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Welcome to mindbodygreen dishes, our new original series that's part educational, part inspirational, and totally delicious. Featuring a fresh nutrition expert each month, these bite-size videos dish out the science behind healthy ingredients and demonstrate a tasty recipe to put that knowledge into practice. Now, let's get cooking with integrative dietician Alexandra D'Elia, R.D., CDN, RDN owner of Olox Nutrition.
Eating for your particular health needs is no new concept, but what about eating to support your mental well-being? The effect that food can have on mood became so important to me when I was diagnosed with bipolar II almost a decade ago. Since then, I have continued to search for recipes that not only help to stabilize my mood but also provide long-lasting energy, without the crash.
Particularly when it comes to sweet snacks, I wanted to find a treat that could keep blood sugar steady, to help support a stable mood throughout the day. One great example: these no-bake nut butter cookie bites that I created.
The star ingredient of this dish is almond flour, which not only functions as an excellent binder for the cookies but also is a great source of fiber and protein to sustain blood sugar levels. What's more, almond flour is packed with vitamin E, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, along with magnesium.
Dates are another key player, offering a natural sweetness to the dish while also packing in antioxidants and minerals like potassium and phosphorus, which provide excellent brain support. While these do contain natural sugars, the combination of protein, fiber, and fat in this recipe helps minimize a glucose spike.
With peanut butter and dark chocolate tying together the rich and decadent flavor, this balanced and stabilizing treat is perfect for the mid-afternoon slump...or whenever you need a sweet treat.
Ready to get snacking? Check out the video above or the recipe below for a no-bake cookie that will support both your energy levels and your mood.
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No-Bake Nut Butter Cookie Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- ~10 pitted dates
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt (plus more for garnish)
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
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Method
- Add almond flour, dates, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt to a food processor and blend until smooth and evenly mixed.
- Scoop out about a tablespoon of the mixture and use your hand to form round balls.
- Place on a tray; flatten with the bottom of a glass so your dough creates a cookie shape.
- Pop into the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Once cooled, melt chocolate in the microwave (in 30-second intervals...stirring when necessary) and drizzle each bite with chocolate. Sprinkle each with sea salt as well.
- Pop back in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes and enjoy.
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Alex is an Integrative and Functional Registered Dietitian and the Owner of Olox Nutrition, a virtual nutrition coaching company that specializes in mind-body health and using food as medicine. Her personal experience with mental health made her realize just how essential food and lifestyle are in managing symptoms and increasing overall health and quality of life. Her 3-month nutrition coaching program, The Food & Mood Reboot, offers women lasting tools to improve energy, heal the gut, and nourish their brain so they can feel strong and capable in their bodies and minds. Get your free Mood-Food Guide 6 Easy Recipes here.