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

1.  Mix the oats, nuts, seeds, cinnamon and sea salt.
2. 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.
3. Add it to the oats and then stir thoroughly – there can be no dry parts to the mixture.
4. Have a container ready for the balls as well as a bowl nearby with the coconut ready for rolling.
5. 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.
6. 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.