Almond, Date and Hazelnut & Coconut Bliss Balls
Last weekend, my husband and I travelled to Christchurch to sell our family’s figs at the Christchurch Farmers Market. Hand on heart, I can honestly say I was completely blown away by the quality of the produce and the depth of food on offer. I could have strolled around the market all day indulging in colourful bounties of local fruits & vegetables, homemade soups and treats.
The guy selling fresh peppers and chilies beside us had such a kaleidoscope of beautiful colours on offer, they almost looked too good to buy in fear of ruining his well organised basket of beauty! From porridge, to homemade poppy seed bagels, free-range chickens, gourmet made-in-front-of-you sandwiches and the most delightful little baby beetroot and carrots, this market had something for everyone. The vegetables were so fresh and vibrant, I almost didn't know what to do I was so excited! Oh and did I the mention the very decadent Florentines and hot chocolate. Crispy chewy Florentines and proper hot chocolate. Each of them very indulgent. The hot chocolate was made by melting cream, dark chocolate and milk. With a dash of Myan chilli it was the perfect end to a wonderful morning selling fruit to passionate, fig-loving Cantabrians!
Being the start of a new week, I wanted to ensure my snacks are a little less indulgent but still delicious to eat. The hot chocolate was a real treat. I've heard so much about White Heart Specialty Nut Butter that I was excited to try and buy the White Heart Hazelnut & Coconut Butter as I wandered past their stall. Words cannot describe how good this nut butter is. I had a bit of a play with my Hazelnut & Coconut Butter purchase and have come up with the most nutritious and tasty bliss balls using this amazing butter.
If you aren't a fan of nuts, you could replace the almonds with pumpkin or sunflower seeds and add a couple of extra dates and a tablespoon of melted coconut oil to replace the nut butter. Alternatively, if you don’t have any of the White Heart Hazelnut & Coconut Nut Butter, you could use 1 tablespoon of nut butter of your choice and 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil.
Filled with protein, vitamin E, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids these little balls are the perfect snack or after-dinner treat.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed eating the mixture straight out of the bowl off a spoon!
Almond, Date and Hazelnut & Coconut Bliss Balls
1 cup almonds (or any nuts or seeds of your choice)
½ cup flaxseeds
4 large Medjool dates or 6 medium Medjool dates
2 Tbspn White Heart Hazelnut & Coconut Nut Butter
Place the almonds and flaxseeds into a food processor and pulse until the nuts and seeds are broken into a coarse crumb.
Add the dates and nut butter and pulse a few times until everything is combined. You may need to use a spoon to help everything come together in between pulses.
If you used a smaller food processor or similar gadget, pour the mixture into a large bowl. Using clean hands shape the mixture into small balls and place them on a tray or in a container lined with baking paper. I placed mine in a container lined with baking paper, separating each layer with a piece of baking paper. Make sure you use a little bit of pressure when you’re making the balls to help them stay together.
Place the balls in the fridge where they will last for about a week or in the freezer for a chewy snack.
Enjoy!
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined sugar-free
