Nope — there’s no peanut butter or jelly in these bite-size energy balls, but their nutty crunch and sweet strawberry flavor never fail to bring back fond memories of munching on my favorite after-school snack. Unlike the PB&J sandwiches I used to make for myself, these home-made treats are made with just nuts and fruit (and a pinch of salt). So when you need a pick-me-up after a long run, a hard workout or an afternoon of gardening like a maniac, just pop a ball or two in your mouth, and I guarantee you’ll feel like a kid again.
Ingredients
½ cup (10 grams) freeze-dried strawberries
½ cup (60 grams) dry-roasted unsalted almonds
1 cup (150 grams) pitted and chopped dried Medjool dates
Kosher salt
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted in a 300°F oven until golden, about 3 minutes
Instructions
Pulse the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until they form a powder. Let the pink dust settle.
Toss in the almonds.
Pulse to roughly chop the almonds. Transfer the chopped almonds and strawberry powder to another bowl.
Throw the dates into the now-empty food processor bowl, and pulse a few times to roughly chop up the pieces. Then, pulverize the dates until they form a sticky ball that thwacks against the side of the work bowl.
Add the strawberry powder, almonds, and a pinch of salt to the sticky date paste in the food processor bowl.
Pulse a few times until combined. The result should be a dense mass that comes together as a nutty dough.
Pinch off about a tablespoon of the dough and roll it in your palms to form a smooth ball. Repeat ’til you’re out of dough.
Put the toasted shredded coconut in a shallow plate. Toss each of the balls into the coconut, making sure to coat the entire surface.
You can refrigerate your balls in a covered container for up to 1 week, or freeze ’em for up to a month.
Recipe by Fit Bottomed Girls at https://fitbottomedgirls.com/2017/09/nom-nom-paleos-pbj-energy-balls/