Do you make time for yourself each day?

When the kiddies go down, I love taking the opportunity to sit back, steep a hot tea and spend a few minutes to reflect on the day or life in general.  Life gets very busy and sometimes carving out a break is about as easy as getting toothpaste back in the tube.  But even if you only manage 5-15 minutes before there’s another matter to attend to it’s very important to make some time for yourself.  It is just so beneficial to your well-being and also your loved ones.  A happy mommy makes a happy family they say!

Refreshing your body and mind aside, it’s also easier to appreciate everything you have when you take a step back and reflect.

Life in 2014 can be a hectic affair.   Our smartphones are supposed to make things easier but they also give us a steady stream of reminders, notifications and instant messages that constantly demand our attention.  Try scheduling some well deserved “me” time and put your phone on Do-Not-Disturb!  My “me” time usually includes green tea and homemade treats but that’s optional!

Homemade desserts get me so excited because well.. they taste AMAZING and with a little creativity they can be great for your body!  Toss out the refined sugar and chemical filled desserts and make room for the REAL and natural desserts made with simple ingredients that you can actually pronounce.

I’m delighted to share this recipe for Chocolate Dipped Coconut & Fresh Fig Bites with you today because they are straightforward to make and taste fabulous!

Cacao powder, cacao butter, coconut oil and shredded coconut are staples in my baking pantry.  I use these ingredients to keep the following treats in regular rotation:

• Homemade hot cacao
• Homemade chocolate bark
• Raw treats like my Crazy Cacao & Coconut Nut Butter Balls
• Add-ins to home-made nut butters  This is my all time favourite nut butter recipe 
• Homemade cookies
• Homemade pancakes

Have you ever tried making your own chocolate? If not try this recipe out!

For these goodies, I used fresh figs to add an earthy and fruity taste to creamy, smooth, chocolate dipped coconut bites.  The fresh figs allowed for a minimal addition of natural sweeteners to create one super delectable treat.

Coconut & Fresh Fig Bites Ingredients:

• 2 fresh figs
• 2 dried figs
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 cup unsweetened fine coconut

Chocolate Dip Ingredients:

• 1 recipe for Dark & Decadent Chocolate Bark

Method:

1. Place all of the ingredients for the bites into the base of a food processor
2. Process until the mixture resembles a sticky dough
3. Form into 4-8 equal sized balls, depending on how large you would like your individual bites to be (4 bites will be monster sized!)
4. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours
5. Make the chocolate dip while the bites are hardening
6. Remove the bites from the freezer and quickly dip and roll into the warm chocolate taking care to cover the entire ball
7. Place the chocolate dipped bites back onto the parchment lined baking sheet and place back into the freezer or fridge to harden

Because these treats can be made in less than 15 minutes (not including chill time) they don’t require a large time commitment.  Now what to do with that saved time? Sit back, relax, reflect and enjoy one totally decadent (and well deserved) treat!  Mark the time as your “ME” time!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Will you be taking some time out for yourself today?

Until next time,

Simply Hollie