Chocolate-Coated Rice Cakes with Nuts, Seeds and Dried Fruit

Are you a snacker? While snacking sometimes gets a bad rap (cue office vending machine!), it can also be a game changer to help build healthier habits.

Snacking – or eating a small amount of food between meals – can keep our appetite more even-keeled, preventing overeating down the line. It can increase nutrient intake, boosting variety in our diet. Snacking can help bridge the physical and mental energy gap between mains, keeping us fuelled and focused. Finally, it can be a good strategy for meeting energy intake; especially for wee ones, those very active (e.g. athletes) or who prefer smaller main meals.

These naturally gluten-free and vegan chocolate-coated rice cakes with nuts, seeds and dried fruit have been a recent snacktime favourite.

They’re filling and exciting, with each mouthful offering up all the textures. They’re also easy to make – the kind of recipe where you don’t even need a recipe!

Choose Your Own (Ingredient) Adventure

To make, simply dunk rice cakes in melted dark chocolate, then add your pick of nuts, seeds and chopped fruit overtop. While I’ve included the recipe I use below, have a play and get creative – use whatever is lingering and lonely in your pantry!

Nutritionally, rice cakes and dried fruit are a source of quick-release energy. The nutrient-dense nut and seed topping provides essential fats, protein and fibre, while the dark chocolate is a rich source of minerals and antioxidants.

Tips, Tricks & Handy Hints

• Before you start, make room in the freezer or fridge. You want enough space for a baking tray.
• Any thickness of rice cakes will do. Nutritionally, the thicker the rice cake, the more carbohydrates per rice cake.
• If you’re vegan or dairy-free, make sure your dark chocolate is a high percentage or check the ingredient panel for no milk products.
• Dunk the smooth side of the rice cake in the melted chocolate. Some types of rice cakes will have a noticeable smoother side. Dunking this will save on chocolate (or simply melt down more!).
• Make sure your toppings touch the chocolate, even just a smidge. Whatever’s not will fall off!
• Your finished rice cake’s choc-topping can melt quickly at room temperature. The layer of chocolate is thin, making it not very resilient against warmer temperatures. Store in the fridge, and consider a lunchbox icepack when taking to work or school. These are so good a little cold just out of the fridge!