As many of you will know, I am a big fan of home-made energy balls. Not only are they delicious, but they also happen to be packed full of nutrient-rich ingredients such as oats, dates and nuts that help to boost our energy levels, and support good health in general. Each ball is filled with protein, heart-healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, fibre, plus a whole host of minerals and antioxidant compounds. It’s amazing just how much goodness fits inside one little ball!
Healthy AND delicious? That’s definitely my favourite kind of snack!
I absolutely love chocolate orange and always considered it to be a classic flavour combo… that is until last weekend’s Bath Vegan Festival, where I discovered people were divided into two camps – they either LOVED the combo and considered it to be the perfect flavour pairing… OR they thought chocolate and orange together was just plain wrong and they wouldn’t even try a ball. It did make me chuckle.
Anyway, the festival goers that tried the balls gave their approval. There were lots of ‘oohs and aahs’ as they tucked into them and many asked if I could share the recipe. So not one to fall back on promises, here I am today, sharing :o)
Which camp do you fall into when it comes to chocolate orange? Classic combo? Or just plain wrong?
Also, I’d LOVE to know what your all-time favourite chocolate combo is!
While I love chocolate orange, I think my number one favourite combo has to be chocolate lime. I’ve already posted an energy ball recipe featuring this combo on the blog, so if you fancy giving it a try, I’ll pop the link at the bottom of this post.
Chocolate Orange Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 50 g / ½ cup rolled oats (use certified gluten-free, if needed)
- 40 g / ¼ cup raw cashews
- 35 g / ½ cup walnuts
- 2 TBSP cocoa or cacao powder
- 120 g / ½ cup soft, sticky dates (e.g. Medjool), pitted
- 2 TBSP fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp orange extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 TBSP cacao nibs, optional
Optional Coating
- 22 g / ¼ cup desiccated coconut
- 1 TBSP coconut sugar
Instructions
- Mix together the coasting ingredients in a wide, shallow container (if using).
- Place the oats, cashews and walnuts in a food processor and whizz into crumbs. Add the cocoa/cacao powder, dates, orange juice, orange extract and salt. Process until the dates are broken down. Add the cacao nibs (if using) and continue processing until the mixture comes together in a ball.
- Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture. Roll into a ball, then roll in the coasting (if using). Repeat until all the dough is used. Chill in the fridge (they will firm up as they chill).
- Stored in an airtight container, these energy balls will keep for a week in the fridge, or for weeks in the freezer.
Pin for later ⬇️
If you make these energy balls (or any other recipes on our blog), I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media and they will find their way to me. You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.
With love,
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I attempted to use a blender in place of a food processor, but it was unsuccessful. I am determined to try this recipe again with a food processor and hope to update my comment after successfully making it.
They are really good, I replaced walnuts and cashew for almonds cos that was the only thing I have. 🙂
These are so much nicer than shop bought! So easy to make. I might try the mixture out as a cheesecake base too, as a coeliac I really miss cheesecake!!