Thursday, February 13, 2014

Superfood energy bites

Lately I've been seeing more and more healthy "energy balls", especially at health food stores. But they are usually quite pricey, so I decided to try to make them myself... and now I wish I had done this earlier, these sweet superfood bites are delicious. On top of that they're also sugar-free, vegan, natural and really good for you!
- 15 small dates, pitted
- 4 tablespoons of flax seeds // omega 3 and fiber, diminishes food cravings 
- 1 tablespoon of chia seeds // fiber, omega 3, protein, anti-oxidants and calcium
- 2 tablespoons of oats // fiber & protein
- 2 tablespoons of coconut flakes // increases metabolism, antiviral 
- 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds // amino acids, high protein, fatty acids, boost immune system 
- 1 tablespoon of almond butter // good fats, vitamin E, iron, calcium, magnesium 
- 1 tablespoon of pure cocoa + extra // improves cholesterol, improves your mood, energy boost

You should be able to find these ingredients in your local health store. If you're based in London, Whole Foods is the place to be! You can leave some of the ingredients out, I can imagine it might not be easy to find chia and hemp seeds everywhere, but these ingredients are what makes these bites so healthy.

Put the dates in a food processor and blitz until it's a sticky ball. Then blitz everything else in the food processor until everything is nicely mixed and sticky. If it falls apart, add a tiny bit of water and blitz some more. Then when the 'dough' is semi sticky, roll it into small balls. Make them bigger if you want to have them as a on-the-go snack and a little smaller if you want to serve it after dinner for example. Lastly, roll the balls into cocoa powder until they are covered. Keep them in the fridge/freezer if you don't eat them right away. You can take one out whenever you're craving something sweet. 

This recipe makes about 12 bites, but you can play around with the quantities and make them however you like them best! All you really need is the dates because they make sure everything sticks together and also add the sweetness which is why you don't need to add any honey or sugar. You could also include almonds, walnuts, peanut butter and sesame seeds, whatever you like most. They're a bit like chocolate truffles, except these are good for you!

These bites are perfect to eat before and after a work-out, on your way to uni/work or just when you feel like having something sweet. 

Let me know in the comments if you'll try this out, it's really super simple!

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