What I love about these little bad boys is that they usually basically the same ingredients I would use to make my muesli, so I nearly always have everything on hand. They are pretty easy to whip up (no-bake is always a plus) and one batch makes a fair few balls for the freeze. I usually eat them as a mid-afternoon snack when I want that sugar pick-me-up, although I’m sure that they would actually serve well as breakfast on the go. Furthermore, they last a couple of days at room temperature, so they’d be a nutritious food to take on a hike.
This recipe is mostly about proportions, so if you don’t like something that I’ve used,just swap it out. Nuts and seeds – they all serve a filling and delicious purpose. I’m sure it would also work with dried fruit – apricots, raisins or cranberries.
Collect
- 2 c instant oats (or 1 and 3/4 c oats and 1/4 c bran, for some extra fibre)
- 1 c nuts (I usually use 1/2 c almonds and 1/2 c walnuts, but I have experimented with cashews and they work just as well)
- 1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 c flax seeds
- 1/4 c sunflower seeds
- 1 t ground cinnamon
- 1/2 t sea salt
- 1 c peanut butter
- 1/2 c honey
- 1 t vanilla essence
- 1/2 c unsweetened, shredded coconut for rolling
Create
- Mix the oats, nuts, seeds, cinnamon and sea salt.
- Separately, mix the peanut butter, honey and vanilla. If it’s proving too difficult to combine, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften it slightly.
- Add it to the oats and then stir thoroughly – there can be no dry parts to the mixture.
- Have a container ready for the balls as well as a bowl nearby with the coconut ready for rolling.
- Take a spoonful of mixture and mould it with your hands to form a ball. Once tightly packed, roll it in the shredded coconut before placing it delicately in the container.
- Continue until all the mixture is used up. If at any stage the oats become to dry, either microwave softly or add a few drops of boiling water – it should increase the stickiness instantly. Store the balls in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for a few months.