What happens when you morph Healthy Eatmore Fudge Squares with Chocolate Coated Gingerbread Bliss Balls and throw some pumpkin in the mix….
Awesomeness… pure awesomeness is what happens.
Awesomeness in the form of THESE Raw Chocolate Gingerbread & Pumpkin Fudge Squares.
A gingerbready chewy soft base with a rich fudgy chocolate topping… a hint of pumpkin, and a mild but perfect sweetness.
Don’t mind if I do!
The making of this recipe was actually inspired by a book one of my clients lent me by Kimberley Snyder – The Beauty Detox.
I was perusing through the book and there is a recipe for Raw Chocolate Ginger Cake with Cocoa Frosting. This recipe reminded me a lot of the Eatmore squares but with the addition of ginger… which then led me to think about gingerbread and the bliss balls, and then I had the ‘Eureka!” moment… I must make a recipe that combines the two and incorporates elements of Kimberley’s recipe.
I must.
..and I did.
..and now you must.
Pull out that food processor and get a’ mixin’ because this recipe just can’t wait.
Almonds, walnuts, raw cocoa, honey (or maple syrup for vegan), dates, ground ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and molasses make up the base. The ‘gingerbread’ base.
Then the ‘fudge’ is made with more cocoa, avocados (for that rich creaminess, and I promise you can’t taste them!), more honey (or maple syrup), and PUMPKIN puree (which kind of makes the fudge a not-so-appetizing color, but you’ll get past that once you taste it, I promise!).
I also decided to use stevia for that extra sweetener but if you aren’t a stevia fan, you can definitely use more honey!
Smooth the fudge over the base, wait (very impatiently) as the squares set in the freezer, and a few hours later, DIG IN!
16 squares of Fall flavors goodness!
Surprisingly, when I added up the nutritional information, each square came in at only 129 calories! Yes, they are little squares, but the healthy fat content from the nuts and avocados makes these little guys filling! Perfect for a mid-day pick-me-up or a guilt-free evening snack!
Like the Eatmore squares, these do get melty after being at room temperature for about 30 minutes or so, so it’s best to keep them in the freezer and pull them out for about 10 minutes prior to serving to thaw slightly!
I promise you even the kiddies will like this healthy treat!
Who doesn’t love a nutrient dense, raw, no-nonsense, no-junk dessert that tastes Heavenly?!
You knew I had to… cliche ‘bite’ picture.
MMmmm!!!
- For the base:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- ¾ cup raw walnut halves
- ¼ cup raw cacoa powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 tablespoons raw honey(or pure maple syrup for vegan)
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- For the fudge:
- flesh of one avocado
- 2 tablespoons of pure pumpkin puree
- 3 Medjool dates
- ¼ cup raw cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon raw honey (or pure maple syrup for vegan)
- 10 drops liquid stevia (OR an additional tablespoon of raw honey)
- Combine the almonds, walnuts, and cacao in a food processor and process until it resembles bread crumbs. Add in the ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, molasses, honey, dates and vanilla and mix again until you achieve a sticky and smooth batter.
- Press the batter into a 8 x 8 inch baking dish, and press down evenly with the back of something like a spoon or measuring cup.
- Back in the food processor combine the fudge ingredients and blend until a smooth consistency is reached.
- Pour the fudge over the base and place the pan in the freezer to set.
- Allow to freeze for at least 3 hours, or until the fudge has hardened enough to slice.
- Slice into 16 squares.
- Enjoy!
- Store in the freezer to keep the best consistency.
*Recipe inspired by The Beauty Detox Foods – Kimberley Snyder Â
Have a LOVELY Thanksgiving weekend all you fellow Canadians! Enjoy your family, food, and this beautiful life – that’s exactly what I will be doing!
One thing in particular I can share with you all that I’m especially thankful for this weekend as we refect on ‘Thanksgiving’ … is YOU!
I’m so THANKFUL for all of your support for ‘Nutritionist in the Kitch’ and it’s that support that drives me to keep blogging and LOVING it! 🙂
Thank you NITK fans!
Christal
Nutritionist in the Kitch
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I have been searching for a food processor to use when making your recipes. What brand/model do you use for this and other recipes?
Hey I have a black and decker, a 12-cup processor! 🙂
I can’t have chocolate/cocoa. Do you think it would work w/ carob?
Hmmm! Technically it should, however the taste will be different and you may need to add a tad more sweetness! 🙂
Looks amazing as usual! Can I omit the molasses? Trying to keep the sugar intake down. Thanks!
Marsha
You can.. BUT, that’s what gives it its token GINGERBREAD taste!!!
oh, ok! Maybe I’ll just opt for the chocolate pumpkin taste. 🙂 Thank you!
Hi! I just wanted to say that this recipe looks incredible!!! I can’t help but notice that the pumpkin puree might be missing from the recipe instructions? I’d love to try it but just want to know how much puree to include!
Thanks for the great Thanksgiving idea 🙂
Ooops! THanks!! You too!
Looks great! Btw, how much pumpkin puree did you use? It is omitted from the ingredients.
Weird! I thought I fixed that! I used 2 tablespoons! 🙂
also – what brand of cocoa powder do you use?
depends – typically I like camino brand!
i knew there had to be a reason i spontaneously grabbed an avocado at the store last night! (i mean, not that avocados aren’t generally great to have around, but i felt like this one had a purpose) I am SO making this tonight!
Definitely!! Enjoy!
Christal, I loved looking at these heavenly pictures as I am sure a taste of these would melt you. But… The picture of the bite taken really made me think of how inviting this dessert is!
This looks easy to make and healthier for you than most desserts! I love the nuts! Good protein and fiber!
Thanks Ramona!!