I’ve made a version of these healthy gym snacks before, but this is taking it to the next level. They are so easy to make it’s almost embarrassing! For me, the best part of these energy balls is the chocolate coating that I put on some of them. The coconut really lifts the richness of dates. The golden linseeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids, so you can feel virtuous as you eat these! They work out at about 133 calories per ball. The recipe comes the Waitrose weekly newspaper March, 2015.

 

Ingredients

Date balls

 (Makes about 20)

100g hazelnuts

250g soft pitted dates

2 tablespoons golden linseed

 

Apricot balls

100g cashew nuts

250g soft, dried apricots

2 tablespoons golden linseeds

Coating

200g dark chocolate (70%)

100g toasted chopped hazelnuts

75g desiccated coconut

To make the date balls

• Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.
• Add the dates and the linseeds and continue to blitz until the mixture has bound into a paste.
• With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls and place on a tray lined with baking parchment.

To make the apricot balls

• Place the cashew nuts in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.
• Add the apricots and the linseeds and continue to blitz until the mixture has bound into a paste.
• With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls and place on a tray with baking parchment. For the coating

To make the coatings

• Gently roast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan.
• Blitz in the food processor until coarsely chopped, then put on a plate.
• Put the desiccated coconut onto another plate.
• Gently melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Ideally, you don’t want the bowl to be touching the water. (I chop the chocolate and put it in the microwave for about 20 seconds)
• Dip each ball into the melted chocolate, then roll in the coconut or hazelnuts. Return to the tray lined with parchment paper and allow to set. Store in an airtight container.