Peanut Butter Choc chip Energy Balls

 So it's the week of my bf's birthday and we are getting all excited to celebrate. We are getting ready for a weekend of cake and fun times. I am very excited. That said other things are happening this week. I am going back to college (yay eternal student!) and there are a great many things to organize. So when I was thinking about what to make for this post I wanted something delicious, energy giving but healthy, as we want to be able to look good next weekend. Yet it was important that it was really delicious and enjoyable for the birthday boy and he has a nose for when things are  healthy (a term he uses disparagingly). After much sampling (he'd say not enough) the bf's verdict - 'Too tasty to be good for you!' Ah but that is where he is happily mistaken!

The ingredient list for these puppies is beautifully short and filled with healthy ingredients that do not include any dairy, wheat or processed sugar.  The end result is all natural, raw, vegan and oh so good!

Peanutbutter Chocolate Chip Energy balls

10 dates
40 ml warm water
3 heaped tsp crunchy all natural peanut butter
2 heaped tsp smooth cashew butter
1 1/2 tsp agave nectar
40g 70% dark chocolate chips (for these to be vegan they need to contain no milk products)
100g organic oats

to cover:
Ground hazelnuts
Raw cocao

1- Soak the dates in the warm water for an hour or so

2 - If you have a blender blend the water and dates, if not pour the water into a bigger bowl and then chop up the soaked dates as much as possible and add them to the big bowl.

3 - Add the nut butters into the date mixture and mix well

4 - Then add the oats and mix thoroughly before adding the chocolate chips.

5 - Finally add the agave nectar. I added this last because if it's easy to gauge how much you need or want by adding bit by bit and tasting, you may want/need more or less.

6- Finally take small amounts and roll into balls before rolling in the ground nuts or the raw cocao.

The raw cocao has a strong flavour and adds a little more energy kick but my favourite and the bf's favorite was the ground hazelnuts. As you can see I did a relatively small batch here so feel free to double or triple the recipe (I think bf would have preferred if I had ;). Also if you don't have agave nectar feel free to use honey but just note that they will not longer be vegan. So I do hope you try these I am very very happy with them and I hope you enjoy.

Look at the deliciousness!