This recipe is adapted from Lydia Elise Millen’s lovely assistant Carrie’s energy ball recipe. I have been meaning to try them out for ages! -B xx

If you are a peanut butter addict like me you will absolutely love these peanut butter energy balls!

They are really quick and easy to grab when you have a busy work day planned at your desk, for out on-the-go or to take with you to your favourite yoga class or gym session for an after workout snack.

Be organised and make up a bunch on Sunday evening to keep in your fridge and have to available for healthy snacking throughout the week. If you store them in a container they will keep for several days in the fridge!

The ground almonds, coconut oil, peanut butter and chia seeds are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids. It is really important on a plant-based diet to get some healthy plant-based fats into your diet each day. Chia seeds are also very high in protein and vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc.

Adding cacao to your energy balls gives them a chocolate-laden nutritional boost! Cacao is also very high in antioxidants (gotta get those antioxidants in to help prevent free radical damage!). Cacao is also extremely calcium and iron-rich and is surprisingly one of the best plant-based sources of iron! Consuming cacao can also help to naturally boost your mood!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups pitted dates

1 1/2 cups ground almonds

1 cup shredded coconut

4 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp coconut oil (try to use raw, extra-virgin, organic coconut oil – it tastes so much better! Often the supermarket brands are cheaper and don’t have the same levels of essential fatty acids)

4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter (you can substitute for any other nut butter you may have on hand)

2 tbsp cacao powder (or cocoa powder is fine if you don’t have cacao)

1-2 tbsp maple syrup (make sure you use natural maple syrup and not the sugar-laden version!)

METHOD:

1. Pop the dates in the food processor and whizz until they resemble small chunks (If you are organised you could soak them in the fridge overnight and then drain all water before you pop them in).

2. Melt the coconut oil if not already melted! (It’s Winter here right now so it’s rather solid for me!). I use the double bowl method, simply pop coconut oil into a small bowl and then float within a larger bowl filled with boiling water to melt.

3. Pop everything else into the food processor! Whizz mixture until all ingredients are well mixed and it starts clumping together.

4. Spoon mixture into your hands and then squish into balls.

5. Store all balls in the fridge until the mixture is set (about 1-2 hours).

This recipe should make around 20 medium sized balls – perfect for sharing with family and friends! ♥

Links:

I order my bulk coconut oil online from the Coconut Oil Shop
I love the Pic’s Crunchy Peanut Butter. I also try to bulk buy this as well since we all go through it!
This is my favourite cacao powder (I usually purchase it from Bin inn)

Everything else is easily purchased from the supermarket 🙂

Last Page Update: 27/08/18