We’re all familiar with the 3pm slump – when the effects of lunch have worn off, and the beckoning call of tea and biscuits gets harder and harder to resist.
Sometimes, the only solution is a good cuppa and a sweet treat, but if you’ve got a little bit of time on your hands over the weekend, why not set yourself up for the week with a batch of delicious, healthy snacks to keep you on track with your health goals.
As a Health and Nutrition Coach, I often get asked for tips and tricks to curb snacking habits – one of which is to ensure that you’re having satiating meals that keep you fuller for longer. But on those days when you need a little boost to get you through till dinner time, this is the perfect thing!
This Chocolate & Coconut Energy Balls recipe is one of my favourites – not only is it super quick to make a batch that lasts a week, they also taste delicious and are packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients that will support your body’s natural functions like your immune system and your metabolism. Sounds ideal, right? Let’s take a closer look at why this recipe is so great…
Why is this recipe so great?
Nuts
Nuts are not only a great source of healthy fats and protein, they are also loaded with nutrients and antioxidants such as magnesium and vitamin E that protect your cells and keep your body functioning optimally. So they have anti-inflammatory properties and are also low in carbs so don’t spike your blood sugar levels. What’s great about this recipe is you can choose your favourite mix of nuts and seeds to use in the mixture.
Dates
While naturally high in sugar, dates can play a great part in a healthy balanced snack, providing sweetness while the other ingredients balance the sugars to stop your blood sugar spiking and crashing. Dates are also high in fibre, vitamin B6, iron and potassium, and antioxidants that your body loves!
Raw Cacao
Raw, unsweetened cacao is a super powerful ingredient. While it is used in chocolate, it’s the raw format that holds all the nutrients. Cacao adds a lovely rich chocolatey flavour whilst also being full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help regulate your energy levels and support your metabolism.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a great source of fat when used in moderation. While it is high in saturated fat, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that help your body’s processes work optimally.
TOP TIP: I buy all of my superfoods from www.realfoodsource.com – I’ve tried a few online shops and love Real Food Source for their value and high quality produce!
Let’s go!
No oven, no cooking, this recipe is super quick to make and requires very little equipment and effort.
You could set aside 15 minutes on a Sunday afternoon and have a week’s worth of delicious snacks stored in the fridge! They’re super tasty but also jam-packed full of ingredients your body loves, let’s give them a go…
Ingredients
100g Almonds
25g Pecans
25g Cashew Nuts
200g Pitted Dates
1 cup Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut
⅓ cup Cacao Powder
3tbsps Coconut Oil
Method
- Weigh out your ingredients
- Blitz the nuts in a food processor until you have a fine crumb
- Add the dates, desiccated coconut, cacao powder and coconut oil
- Process until combined and forming clumps
- Test the mixture to see if it combines into a ball, if too crumbly place back in the processor and blitz again
- Once desired consistency has been achieved, form the mixture into golf ball sized balls
- Roll the balls in some desiccated coconut
- Enjoy!
These can be stored for up to 7 days in a container in the fridge so you can enjoy them throughout the week. Click here for a printable version of the recipe.
This recipe was included in my Autumn RESET programme and was a hit! I run 5-day reset programmes several times a year so if you’re interested in signing up for my next programme then get in touch and let me know if you give this recipe a go!
And if you missed the Autumn edition, but would love to have the meal plan and recipes, don’t worry, you can get them here.
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