This past weekend while on vacation in Halifax, I was tasked with making a dessert that would be safe for celiac disease and contain no dairy. These healthy Paleo Raw ‘Oreos’ are gluten- and dairy-free, and don’t require you to turn the oven on.

Are Dates Healthy?

Although dates are a higher glycemic fruit, they are also a great source of fibre and iron. When consuming higher glycemic foods (i.e. more sugary foods), especially fruits, it is important to combine them with high-quality protein and fats, such as nuts and seeds. This will help balance blood sugar and keep insulin under control. I modified this recipe from a cookbook and also added cinnamon for additional flavour and blood sugar balancing effects. You might wonder why am I so obsessed with balancing blood sugar? High blood sugar and insulin resistance are major causes of hormone imbalances in the body. I’ve included a super nerdy diagram below to help explain why.

Why Balance Blood Sugar for Better Hormones?

Excess insulin drives excess testosterone, which is common in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and hormonal acne. As you can see below, excess insulin reduces production of something called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) from the liver. Just as the name implies, SHBG helps bind up excess testosterone. When SHBG is reduced, total testosterone may stay the same but free testosterone can be elevated. Women who suffer from acne and hirsutism (excessive body hair) are more likely to have abnormally high levels of free testosterone than women who do not. This is where proper laboratory testing and blood work is necessary to accurately determine testosterone levels in the body.

Photo Credit Chris Kresser

Okay….enough of the technical stuff and my passion to help women balance their hormones, now to the recipe :)

Ingredients 

Cookie

  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 2/3 cup pitted dates (soak in hot water & drain if not soft)
  • 1 3/4 cup raw almonds or walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and sea salt

Filling

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for an hour at room temperature then drained
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2-3 tbsp water

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients for cookie in food processor and blender until completely smooth. You may need to remove lid and scrap down the sides a few times. The final product should be a sticky ball, place this in fridge for harden for 30 minutes while you make the filling.
  2. Combine all ingredients for filling in high-powdered blender and blend until smooth. Once finished, place in freezer to harden for 30 minutes while you assemble the cookies.
  3. Remove cookie batter from fridge and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into approximately 1 inch balls and flatten using fingers into a 1/4 inch thick rounds. You should have about 4 dozen cookies depending on desired size (enough to make two dozen full cookies).
  4. Remove filling from freezer and place 1 rounded teaspoon on half the cookies. Place the other cookie half on top and squish together gently.
  5. Store in fridge for up to one week or freezer for up to one month. Enjoy!