Superfood (Super Good) Chocolate 'Bliss' Balls

Everyone is mad for the bliss ball. You can find them all over social media and magazines alike as an easy and perfect snack for the health conscious. You can normally chuck in whatever you want into your blender, roll it up and there you go - you have made yourself a little energy ball. This recipe is one of my favourite combinations. I tend to make a whole batch of these and then pop them in the freezer - taking out one or two when I need them. These guys are packed with nutrients and packed with natural goodies to get your energy levels flying without the sugar crash on the other side.

You can pop these in the kids lunch boxes, pop them in your bag before to nibble on whilst you're out (no getting tired or tempted on the run!) or even put some protein powder in them and have them after a workout. Every time I make these I always leave some with protein powder aside in a jar in the fridge. Within minutes of my brother visiting they are almost all devoured (with some also sneaking into a sandwich bag for him to take home). 
 
Ingredients
  Makes around 30 balls
 
 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepitas
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup brazil nuts
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
2 tbsp bee pollen (leave out if vegan)
1/3 cup rice malt syrup
1 tbsp cinnamon
4 tbsp cacao
1 1/2 cups medjool dates
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
 
 Optional
  1 scoop plant based protein powder

  + desiccated coconut for rolling

First thing you want to do is chuck your sunflower seeds, pepitas, chia seeds and coconut into a processor or blender then pulse ingredients until a fine meal is formed. Throw in your brazil nuts and almonds and pulse once or twice until they are crushed but not powdered*. Empty the pulsed ingredients into a mixing bowl and add in the hemp seeds, bee pollen, cinnamon, cacao and protein powder (if making them for post workout snacks).
 
Next in the now empty processor/blender add in your medjool dates, coconut oil, vanilla and rice malt syrup and blend until smooth. 
 
Place liquid ingredients into the bowl with your dry ingredients and mix together. You may need to get hands on and really mush the ingredients together if mixing with a spoon is not doing the trick (just make sure you wash them first!). Add in a tbsp of water if required.
 
Next simply grab around a tablespoon of mixture at a time and roll into balls. Roll the balls in desiccated coconut and place in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge. These guys will keep for around 2 weeks in the fridge, and a couple of months in the freezer. Mmmm.. Enjoy!

*If you want more of a soft truffle pulse ingredients until everything is a fine meal - otherwise for a bit more texture still leave in crushed pieces. 

 Photography by Elisa Watson.