Quick and easy snacks to keep around the house or bring with you outside are always fun to create and come up with versions of, and these energy balls (without dates) are our latest invention. They came to be as a result of the iron quest we and many parents around us can relate to – it’s no secret small children need a lot of iron and as the vegetarians we (and Theo) are, we have to make sure we’re on top of our game. T definitely qualifies as a rather picky and particular eater but he’s given these his very precious stamp of approval, meaning we have high hopes lots of other kids will too! And as opposed to most other recipes for balls of this kind, these rely on dried apricots instead of dates. A little less sugar, for those who care about that, and a different flavor for those who don’t really like that of dates.
You can stick to the recipe exactly or go crazy and experiment away with flavorings (see note below) – it’s your pick. T leans cinnamon only and we’re just happy he likes these and munches down about 1.5 mg of iron per ball (!), as well as heaping amounts of zinc, magnesium, vitamin E, healthy fats (hello omega-3 from the canola oil), fiber and lots of other good stuff. Good luck!
För recept på svenska, klicka här: Rawfoodbollar med aprikos och solrosfrön
Makes 18 balls
Total Time: 15 min
Ingredients
100 ml pumpkin seeds (60 g)
100 ml sunflower seeds (60 g)
300 ml dried apricots (200 g)
100 ml rolled oats (30 g)
1/2 tsp cinnamon*
A pinch of salt
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp water
50 ml sunflower seeds (30 g), crushed or finely chopped*
*This recipe is highly adaptable. Try switching out the flavorings depending on what you like – we often use ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and sometimes even cocoa powder. You can even try rolling the balls in something else. Sesame seeds work really well here, for example.
Instructions
- Using a food processor, blend the pumpkin and sunflower seeds into a fine meal. Remove and set aside.
- Add the dried apricots into the food processor and pulse until they’re in small pieces. Add back in the ground pumpkin and sunflower seeds along with the rolled oats, cinnamon and salt. Blend until everything is evenly mixed together.
- Add in the canola oil and water and blend some more until everything is well combined and sticks together. You may need to add in a little more water here if the apricots were very dry and not soft to begin with.
- Scoop up one tablespoon at a time, and roll into a ball. Then roll each ball in the crushed or finely chopped sunflower seeds, and store in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for at least 2-3 months. They thaw quickly.
Tip: Before rolling the balls, place the mixture in the fridge for 30 min. They’ll be a little less sticky and easier to roll out when cold from the fridge.
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