Date and oat energy ball recipe

I must admit, I do have a sweet tooth and love a little treat with my cup of tea in the evening. Irish people love their cup of tea after dinner in the evening, no sooner are the dinner plates cleared that the teapot is on the table and you’re diving into a few sweet treats. It just wouldn’t feel right ending the dinner without a cup of tea, a chat and a slice of soda bread with lashings of Mums homemade jam. I’m pretty sure I polished of a whole jar of jam by myself on my last visit home!

Thankfully most days I’m a little more mindful of my eating and sugar intake, and find alternative ways of satisfying my sweet tooth. In order to try make a healthier choice when I’m craving something sweet I do my utmost to have a stash of energy balls in the fridge. They’re also great to have in your bag or lunch box, to avoid the temptation of grabbing a sugary snack when your out.

Although I still consider these as treats and eat them in moderation, dates offer a much more sustainable source of energy release compared that of refined sugar. Also the addition of oats provides a good source complex carbohydrates which further slows down the release of energy, this helps prevent a spike in blood sugar. By stabilizing blood sugar levels, sugar cravings are reduced and we no longer need that sugar hit.

Finally both dates and oats contain fibre, vitamins and minerals, making these energy balls a nutritious little evening treat or snack on the go!

Basic energy ball recipe:

1 cup oats(I used gluten free)

12 medjool dates*

1 tablespoon of cacao

1 tablespoon nut/seed butter

2-3 tablespoons of water

Method:

1. Add oats to food processor and blitz into a rough flour.
2. Add cacao and pulse 3 times.
3. Add remaining ingredients and blend until mixture starts to clump, if you find the mixture is to dry add another spoon of water.
4. Tip mixture into ball and roll into walnut sized pieces and store in airtight container in the fridge.

Notes*:

If using regular dates, soak them in hot water for 5-10 minutes to soften them, drain off water before adding to mix.

Variations:

• Add a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the mix, this works best in combination with almond or seed butters.
• Add a tablespoon of desiccated coconut, the coconut and cacao really compliment each other.
• Add a teaspoon of chia or hemp seeds for extra nutrition.

Please tag me on Instagram @kichentablebaking if you try them out, I’d love to see your creations.

Hope you enjoy!

Peace & love,

G x