by Tom Hunt
Tom Hunt shares his delicious and nutritious homemade energy balls recipe.
I used to make these energy balls at Glastonbury music festival each Summer back in the 90’s! Now they’re popular in stores, however they’re considerably cheaper to make at home and very simple to prepare; allowing a budget to use higher quality ingredients than any you’d find in a manufactured product.
The dates and cacao give an immediate energy boost, whilst the rye or oat flakes give a slow release of energy. Cranberries are packed with vitamin C and the nuts are a source of many nutrients. However don’t worry about sticking to the ingredients list, reduce waste by using up what you have in your cupboards. Swap dates for dried apricots or even dried figs and the cranberries for raisins or any other dried fruit.
I’ve worked with Fairtrade products since those early years cooking at the festivals. Even then Glastonbury and other festivals would encourage imported foods such as sugar, chocolate, tea and coffee to be Fairtrade certified and these values have stuck with me ever since! As well as being better for the farmers, Fairtrade products, are often better quality too. If possible try using Zaytoun’s wonderfully rich dates for this recipe.
Makes about 15 x 20g balls
- 100g Fairtrade mixed nuts (Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc. – look out for Fairtrade nuts in your local supermarket or online at Traidcraft)
- 50g rye flakes, or oats
- 100g Fairtrade dates, apricots or prunes, pitted (find Fairtrade dates on Traidcraft’s online store)
- 50g cranberries
- 25g nut butter (optional – try Liberation Nut’s Fairtrade peanut butter)
- 1 tbsp Fairtrade cacao or cocoa powder (optional)
- 5 tbsp of either or a combination of: cacao nibs, crushed nuts, hemp seeds, pulse blended to a rough powder for topping (optional)
Pulse blend the mixed nuts in a food processor to rough pieces. Add the flakes, pitted dates (apricots or prunes), cranberries, nut butter and cacao or cocoa powder if using and blend to a rough paste. Turn out onto the table, split and roll into 15 balls. If you wish, roll the energy balls in your chosen coatings. Keep for up to two months in a container.