Recipe: Bittersweet Cacao Lactation Bites

Love dark chocolate? These bittersweet cacao lactation bites are for you.

cacao+lactation+bites

After you’ve had a baby, nutrient-dense and easy digest foods are an important part of your postpartum healing. On top of that, if you are breastfeeding, your body needs additional calories, protein, and healthy fats to maintain milk supply.

This recipe hits key nutritional requirements for postpartum bodies:

  • Protein

  • Healthy fats

  • Superfood boosts

  • Fiber

Most lactation bites you’ll find are nutritious and easy to eat, but are they delicious? These fudge-y bite-sized remind me of bittersweet brownie batter, with a satisfying bit of crunch from sesame seeds and walnuts.

Plus… this simple recipe comes together in 10 minutes. Make in advance + freeze for when baby arrives or whip up a batch to bring for a friend after they’ve had a baby.

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup walnuts (toasted or raw)

  • 1/2 cup medjool dates (pitted and soaked for 20 mins)

  • 1/3 cup tahini

  • 1/4 cup cacao powder

  • 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup (to taste)

  • 2 Tbsp hemp hearts

  • 1 Tbsp chia seed

  • 1 Tbsp sesame seed

  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Let’s get started:

  • Soak pitted dates in hot water for 10 minutes, drain

  • Pulse walnuts in food processor until they are roughly chopped, remove about 2 Tbsp walnuts and set aside

  • Add dates and into food processor with remaining walnuts and pulse until a smooth paste forms

  • In a large bowl, combine reserved walnuts, hemp hearts, cacao, chia, and sea salt

  • Add in nut + date paste and maple syrup to the dry ingredients, mix until combined

  • Roll into bite-sized balls and coat with sesame seeds

  • Cool in fridge or freezer until firm

Enjoy within 1 week in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer.

Tips:

  • Use a measuring spoon or other tool for consistent size. I have a mini ice-cream scoop for mine. Aim for a 1-2 bite size. Bigger bites are tricky to eat when you’re holding a baby

  • Not crazy about tahini? Sub out for any nut or seed butter you have on hand, preferably one with no added sugar. Skipping the tahini will make the bites a little less bitter.

  • Taste as you go. This recipe is super forgiving, taste once everything is combined, add what you want, and restir to combine.

  • Feel free to double the recipe. If you have a full sized food processor, you are golden. Using a mini food processor, you may need to do two batches of the date mixture to get a smooth paste.

Michelle Berninger