These healthy vegan energy balls are perfect alternatives to shop-bought sugar dense snack bars and energy balls.

Energy balls recipe by Kirsten Chick, author of Nutrition Brought to Life

These healthy vegan energy balls are super easy to make, refrigerate and freeze well, and you can get creative with different flavour combinations.

Here are a few I love that focus on energy.

For each recipe, use approximately 100g nuts/seeds/chestnuts – preferably soaked overnight in water – with about 50g dried fruit and 2-3tbsp coconut oil. Add other spices and flavourings half a teaspoon at a time until it tastes just right.

Note that I suggest a lot less of the sweet stuff that you get in shop-bought versions, but they are still definitely sweet enough!

Then you blend it all together, as smooth or as rough as you like, shape into truffle sized balls and roll in something like sesame seeds, desiccated coconut or cocoa powder to make them prettier.

If the mixture is too dry to hold together, add a little more coconut oil

If the mixture is too wet, add more nuts/seeds – remember the coconut oil will also harden a little when you put them in the fridge

In winter, melt the coconut oil first by gently heating in a pan until liquid

Tropical truffles (Rolled in desiccated coconut, or carob or cocoa powder)

brazil nuts
dates
coconut oil
carob or cocoa powder
lime zest
supergreen powder (e.g. spirulina, wheatgrass powder, etc. – add a pinch at a time)

Decadent delights (Rolled in carob or cocoa powder)

boiled chestnuts
prunes
coconut oil
a little coconut cream or milk
carob or cocoa powder
supergreen powder

Winter warmers (Rolled in carob or cocoa powder)

NB: Also great for the kidneys.

walnuts and pumpkin seeds
cranberries (avoid the sugar-sweetened options)
coconut oil
supergreen powder
ginger

 

Nutrition Brought to Life can be purchased on Amazon. But, as detailed in our review, this is such a beautiful book that we recommend you purchase an exclusive author-signed first edition.

 

Healthy vegan energy balls image courtesy of Lesley Burdett Photography