No outdoor excursion is complete without a good snack to keep your energy up. Check out our two raw vegan energy ball recipes that you can make in a flash.
There’s nothing quite like making your own bite-sized energy balls packed full of healthy nutrients that’ll keep you on your feet in a pinch. These two easy vegan recipes make the perfect snack or fun addition to any pack lunch.
1. Vegan Energy Balls with Coconut, Cashew, Date, and Oats
It’s no secret that coconut is good for you, both in your food and your skincare routine. Coconut flakes, as well as linseed, are famous for their high fiber content which aids with digestion. Rich in antioxidants, dates are another gut-boosting superfood.
The peanut butter which binds these energy balls together and provides most of the energy is calorie-dense and contributes both saturated and unsaturated fat. In fact, one tablespoon of peanut butter contributes about 10% of an adult’s recommended daily saturated fat intake. Using crunchy peanut butter ensures you’re getting essential minerals, including magnesium, iron, and zinc, as well as copper and vitamins, including the B group and vitamin E.
Makes around 5 balls.
Ingredients
- 50g oats
- 50g coconut flakes
- 50g peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
- 20g linseeds
- 3 tbsp agave nectar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 dates, finely chopped
Steps
- Reserve half of the coconut flakes.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
- Mix well. The mix shouldn’t be too wet or too dry. To make it dryer, add more oats. To make it wetter, add more agave nectar.
- Press into bite-sized balls using a rounded tablespoon or just by eye.
- Roll each ball in the remaining coconut flakes, coating well, before placing them on a dish.
- Place all the balls in the fridge and leave for at least half an hour before consuming.
These energy balls should last up to one week refrigerated and can be easily doubled to yield as many balls as desired.
2. Vegan Energy Balls with Carrot, Apple Sauce, Nuts, and Oats
Although carrots have a multitude of health benefits, they are unfortunately a seasonal crop that is only harvested in late spring and fall. This may be surprising, as they can usually be found in supermarkets all year round thanks to industrial chilled storage facilities. To reduce your carbon footprint, try to use locally-sourced organic carrots when they are in season.
All other ingredients in this recipe should be sourced as responsibly as possible. This means choosing fair trade and organic where possible. You can easily whip up some homemade sugar-free apple sauce for this recipe instead of purchasing a whole jar.
We also decided to coat these energy balls in some leftover coconut flakes from the above recipe, but this is entirely optional.
Makes around 5 balls
Ingredients
- 30g cashews
- 30g dried apricots
- 30g almonds
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 50g oats
- 1 tbsp apple sauce
- 1/2 tbsp molasses
Steps
- Combine the cashews, dried apricots, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and carrot in a blender until all large lumps are gone.
- Transfer to a bowl and mix in the oats, apple sauce, and molasses by hand.
- Press into bite-sized balls using a rounded tablespoon or just by eye.
- Roll each ball in the remaining coconut flakes, coating well, before placing them on a dish.
- Place all the balls in the fridge and leave for at least half an hour before consuming.
These energy balls should last up to one week refrigerated and can be easily doubled to yield as many balls as desired.
Read More:
- Simple, No-Bake Granola Balls
- Best Homemade Trail Mix Recipe
- Vegan Carrot Cake (+ Gluten-Free Option)
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