There are some people you meet in life that make an incredible impression on you … and Tory, a fellow student a the Whole and Natural Foods Chef Training Course I completed in 2013, is one of those!

The course was amazing, but gruelling!  It went for 13 weeks full time, with days starting anywhere from 8.30am, and sometimes not finishing much before 6pm … we listened, wrote notes, worked, cooked and cleaned at a cracking pace.

But there was this shining light called Tory, the kind of person that would come up to you mid afternoon, just when your energy levels were flagging and you still had so much to do, and would offer you one of her delicious energy balls.  Whenever this happened I would give her the biggest hug of gratitude I could muster!

Tory is a nutritionist by profession, based in Queensland but had come from Europe where she had worked for the past two years, and was doing the course so that she could not only advise her clients on what to eat, but show them “how to prepare their food” too.

I asked Tory for the recipe of her Energy Balls … I haven’t changed it much except for adapting it to the Thermomix and adjusting quantities to get the right flavour balance.  I include Goji berries as I love those, but that is optional … having said that however they add a lovely “cherry ripe” finish that you may like.

I keep a batch of these energy balls in the fridge where they will sit happily for a couple of weeks (I am sure they would do so longer, but they never last that long)!

It is important to use coconut butter (not coconut oil) in this recipe … from my observation so many “energy balls” contain coconut oil, which I find “greasy”, so the coconut butter is definitely my preference … see here for the recipe to make your own.

I have been serving these at my classes, and recently some past students asked for the recipe as they had mislaid their copies … so this is for them and everyone in-between … believe me it is a joy to share it with you … so thank you Tory!

RECIPE UPDATE MAY 2020

I have been asked if I make these energy balls nut free, which I do, so I have updated the recipe to allow for that.  I always have a jar of toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds in the fridge as I use them a lot as a replacement for nuts.  As they don’t have as much flavour as almonds (or other nuts), I always use them toasted in recipes to give them a little “lift”.  See here for my process of toasting nuts and seeds.  They keep really well in the fridge so it is worthwhile having a jar made and ready to go.

Tory's Energy Balls

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Gina @ The Passionate Pantry

Serves: 20 balls

Ingredients

• 150g raw almonds, or 150g toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds for nut free
• 20g hemp seeds, or add in more pepitas and sunflower seeds
  
  
• 30g natural sultanas
• 3 pitted Medjool dates
• 20g shredded or desiccated coconut
• 40g dark chocolate (preferably 70%)
• 20g Goji berries (optional, but adds a lovely “cherry” flavour)
  
  
• 20g coconut butter
• 2 tbls Spirulina, or any other green algae powder
• 2 tsp raw cacao (or cocoa if you don't have cacao)
• 30g pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract / or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• zest of an orange (I use zester) / or few drops food grade wild orange oil
  
  
• Desiccated coconut for coating balls
  
  
• NOTE: Spirulina is 100% natural, a highly nutritious micro salt water algae, and is a rich food source. It is available at health food stores, and many supermarkets now stock it.

Instructions

1. Place the almonds and seeds of choice into ™ bowl and mill 5 seconds / speed 7
2. Add the sultanas, dates, coconut, dark chocolate and Goji berries and mix 6 seconds / speed 7
3. Add coconut butter, Spirulina or algae powder, raw cacao or cocoa, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and orange and mix 6 seconds / speed 7
4. Remove mixture from ™ bowl and place into a separate bowl for portioning (I find this easier and quicker to do that taking it directly from the ™ bowl)
5. Have a tablespoon measure sitting in a jug of water
6. Place extra desiccated coconut into a bowl for coating
7. Use the tablespoon measure to press into mixture, then roll into balls before placing into the coconut for coating
8. Dipping the spoon occasionally into the jug of water, continue until all the balls are done
9. Place balls into a container and store in the fridge, where they will keep for up to two weeks

Notes

I do love using the Goji berries as they give a rice "cherry ripe" flavour to the balls but they are totally optional.

I keep a batch of these energy balls in the fridge where they will sit happily for a couple of weeks so are handy to have on hand.

It is important to use coconut butter (not coconut oil) in this recipe ... from my observation so many "energy balls" contain coconut oil, which I find "greasy", so the coconut butter is definitely my preference ... see the main post for the link to the recipe to make your own if you wish.

For nut free version I use a combination of toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds which work perfectly too. The seeds don't have as much flavour as the almonds, so to help "lift" the flavour I like to toast them. Because my two children are nut free, I always have a jar of toasted seeds in the fridge as I use them a lot as a replacement for nuts. To toast seeds please see the link in the main post for my process.

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