This recipe came about after I craved something sweet but still wanted to feel as if I was being a good girl! If you’ve read my recent post Diary of an Intolerant Mum: The Test Kit, you’ll know that I’ve had to cut out dairy and various other things from my diet. This factor contributed to my urgent craving. I had recently brought some Carob Flour from Foods You Can and at the time was both excited to use my new ingredient but also scratching my head as to what exactly I could use if for. I had a create splurge in the kitchen, these are my favourite bursts of energy, when I’m not quite sure what I’m making but my gut tells me it’s going to be good. I didn’t disappoint myself this time! These are deeply rich in flavour not too sweet and two’s enough to bury any craving.
How to make energy balls
The formula for success is very simple, you need 1/3 of each food group give or take a gram or two.
Fats – it has to be a solid fat, great examples are coconut fat solids, butter, butter alternatives (I use Flora here in the UK) and even vegetable fat solids such as Trex or Crisp n Dry. The latter are less palatable. The need for a solid fat is that you need it to return to it’s solid state to keep the shape. The only exception to this is if you plan to coat your energy ball in chocolate.
Fruit – to pack the nutrients into your energy balls you need dietary fibre (fiber), fructose and vitamins. Dried fruits supply you with all of these elements and in concentrated forms. The levels of vitamins you achieve in each bite depends on the combinations of fruits you use. Great inexpensive dried fruits for this purpose are; apricots, apple, dates, sultanas, raisins, figs and prunes.
Nuts/Seeds – this element of your energy ball needs to be added to increase the vitamin intake and add minerals, essential fats and omega oils. To much of this in your energy balls and you’ll find you have a crumbly ball, and nobody wants to eat a crumbly ball, am I right?
Follow this rule, have fun with swapping out the ingredients and you will find yourself making loads of these powerballs in no time and sugar crashes and afternoon lulls will be a thing of the past thanks to your homemade energy balls.
Other similar energy food recipes
I have a few of these raw recipes on my site, I went through a phase of using up bits and bobs of ingredients and had an awesome time developing new recipes, now I know them all off by heart and whip a nutritious gluten free, vegan energy ball or square in no time. Why not try these recipes for; Apricot Cacao Raw Squares (gluten, dairy, egg free), or this Raw Chocolate Snack Squares, or these Deliciously Simple Fruit and Nut Chocolate Truffles that would be perfect made as a gift.
Apricot & Cacao Squares (GF, DF, Ve) 
Raw Chocolate Squares (GF, DF, Ve) 
Fruit *& Nut Truffles (GF, DF, Ve)
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Gluten and Dairy free Carob & Date Ball Recipe
Simple to make balls of energy, these Caron and Date Balls are packed with nutrients, are gluten free, dairy free and vegan and hit the sweet tooth spot every time.
- 6 large dates
- 3 heaped tsp cashew butter
- 50 g desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp carob flour
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 100 g dried prunes
- 30 g coconut flour
- 100 g 70% dark chocolate
- Quite simply add all the ingredients into a blender and whizz to a paste.
- If the mixture is a little dry add a little more coconut oil, if wet, add a little more coconut flour.
- Using a teaspoon roll mixture into 24 small balls
- In a microwave carefully melt the 70% chocolate making sure not to burn.
- Dip the balls into the chocolate and coat.
- Place onto a baking tray covered with grease proof paper.
- Pop into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes before eating.
These will need to be kept in the fridge in a Tupperware container. If they last that long, they can keep for at least a week.
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Oh my, they look like heaven in a ball! If you were wondering what to make next time I come round: I’ll have these babies with a latte please!!!
Haha, consider it done sweetie xxx
Yum! I feel like these would disappear quickly if they were in my house!
Ahh! yes…that’s one problem, but after a busy day with the kiddies, when they’re tucked up in bed a lovely cup or red tea and two carob balls is my little reward to say ‘I made it’!!! ;-)
I love dates. They make a really good and easy caramel too. #freefromfridays
Me too, and wow! Never thought of a caramel, top idea thank you. :-)