Embassy Treats

Rule number one of being vegan and gluten-free: always bring your own snacks.

That’s probably also the number one rule for travelling dignitaries, too.

My mom made these for me on a family weekend trip earlier this year, and she named them after the hotel in which we stayed, an Embassy Suites.  I brought these for my snackage throughout the week at work, and then I brought the remainder to Upstart Foods Business Conference on Saturday.

Embassy Treats
Recipe from Ownie Mom

1 cup dates, soaked

1/2 cup nuts (I used sliced almonds)

1 1/2 cups puffed brown rice cereal (I used chocolate)

3/4 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons soaking water

2.5-3 ounces 70 per cent chocolate or 1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted

1/2 cup nut butter (I used unsalted roasted almond)

2 tablespoons agave nectar

Line an 8*8-inch square pan with parchment.  In a food processor or blender, chop the nuts until coarsely chopped.  In a large bowl, combine chopped nuts, cereal, and oats.  In the machine of your choice, puree the dates with up to two tablespoons of the soaking water.  They will become gelatinous.  Add the melted chocolate, nut butter, and agave, and process until uniformly combined.  

Dollop date mixture on top of cereal mixture and knead together.  Press mixture into pan and refrigerate 30 minutes before cutting into squares (24 pieces).

Man, I could eat the date-almond butter-chocolate-agave mixture by itself.  It's stiff and would make a good breakfast spread.  Two recipes in one!