A few years ago my family and I took a trip to Hawaii.  Among the many good eats we had there including fresh fish tacos, the famous Dole Whip and kalua pork, what really sticks out to me are the handfuls of macadamia nuts my sister and I ate over the course of the trip.  They seemed to be everyone, one more delicious than the next. Out of the variety that we had, one of my favorites was of course the chocolate covered macadamia nut. This recipe is inspired by my love of the rich and creamy mac nut and the drool worthy combo of cacao and coconut.   Perfect for a summer treat, especially if your on the beach!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups roasted salted macadamia nuts
• 1 cup toasted unsweetened dried shredded coconut (Toasted dry on the stove)
• 1 cup dates
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (omit for Whole30)
• 1 tbsp water

Directions:

• In a food processor add macadamia nuts and pulse until course.
• Add the pitted dates, and coconut and continue to pulse until combined.*
• Add cocoa powder and vanilla extract and pulse again until evenly distributed.
• Add water and pulse until sticky.
• Use a tablespoon to help form balls.
• Store in airtight container in the fridge.

Notes:

• If your food processor is having a hard time blending either add the water sooner or place ingredients into a bowl and start pulsing together in batches.