Power Balls
I wanted to name these WOD Balls since that’s really why I created them – for pre-WOD energy or post-WOD recovery – but um, “WOD Balls” leaves just too many jokes open.
I rolled these into small balls for better portion control but the reality is you could make them into bars or squares or whatever floats your Ball Boat.
I brought the first batch I made to my allergist’s office when I went for my weekly injection to share with the awesome girls who work there (and they read this blog, so hi guys!). I made it without egg since I wasn’t sure if anyone had any egg issues. Though they tasted good, they fell apart. The first batch was also very seedy since I used Sunbutter with flax seeds and 2 tbsp chia seeds. So the next batch, I added 1 egg and used half almond butter, half Sunbutter and less chia seeds. This time, they came out perfect! So, sorry girls that you were my guinea pigs but thanks for helping improve the recipe!!
You could use any combination of nut/seed butters you have and any kind of chopped nuts or dried fruit. Personally, I used almond/sunbutter, macadamia nuts, dried cranberrries and goji berries, coconut, and a tiny bit of dark mini chocolate chips.
They pack a heavy nutritional punch, high in protein with a good number of healthy carbs, and are perfect for a post-workout recovery food if you want something other than a shake. The only added sugar is in the little bit of honey – all of the sweetness comes from the dates! And I swear they taste like little desserts so you can satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way.
Power Balls
What you need:
- 10 pitted dates
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp nut/seed butter
- 1/2 c. finely chopped nuts
- 1/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1-2 tbsp dark mini chocolate chips
- 1/4-1/2 c. dried fruit
- 1 egg
What you do:
- Pulse or finely chop the nuts.
- In a food processor or blender, add the dates and turn on high. Once the dates turn to small pieces, drizzle in the honey. This will make a paste.
- Add the date paste, nuts, and the remaining ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly.
- The mixture will be wet so form into balls as best as you can and place on parchment.
- Bake at 250 for 35-40 minutes. Slow and steady.
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I made something almost like this yesterday! Homemade Lara bars. I’ll have to give this a try too, they look delicious!
If it’s not too much trouble, any chance you could post the macronutrient breakdown of these? Thanks!
Jim, without the chocolate chips, they are approximately: 61 calories, 2.6g fat, 9.6 g carbs, 2g protein. The chips up the calories by 8 and carbs by 1.2g.
I use this site when I need to figure it out: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
These look tasty. I’m always experimenting with Post Workout Recovery food so I’ll probably try these. How is life back at CrossFit going?
It’s going great – so good to be back! I did jump right in too fast last week and spent the weekend unable to walk properly. But I’m getting back!!
Sweet Jesus woman – these are delicious!! Thanks for another great recipe :) I used peanut butter and cashews as my little guy likes those best (more so than other nuts or nut butters). Seriously, these are really good. I’m going to have to set them aside or they will all be gone by the time my husband gets home.
Alright, I will be trying these for sure. They look awesome!! I love that you had to have some guinea pigs first. My poor family gets to be mine all of the time. I have so many “Nots” that I am impressed that they keep on testing for me! LOL
I adapted your recipe with ingredients that I had in the house, I substituted apricots for dates, used raisins and some dark chocolate, cashews etc. However, I did not use eggs and they turned out delicious and stayed together. Thank you so much for the recipe as I am finding more and more things I cant eat and it is so nice to have something to snack on, which is also good for me!
Thanks
Oh yay, glad to hear they held together and you liked them! I can’t make them too often; they’re so addictive!!
AndreAnna … big hug for this recipe. I collect power bar/ball recipes. This one is being added to the short list. Can’t wait to make them!
xo Lexie
Jim (he commented below) and I made these on Sunday, and they were fantastic! So excited about these. I’m tempted to flatten the next batch and see how well they do as paleo cookies. The texture reminded me of oatmeal raisin cookies, something I haven’t been able to have in way too long. Thanks for the recipe!
AndreAnna, do these need to be refrigerated or can they be stored at room temperature? what is the shelf life? i’d like to take them on a month long trip but i wanted to check with you first. THANKS!
The recipe posted does contain egg so I would refrigerate them if they will be out for more than 2-3 days. They never last that long in my house, but if you’re stocking up for a trip, try baking them without the egg and wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and then storing in a larger ziploc bag or sealed container to extend shelf life. They should stay good for quite some time that way, plenty for your trip.