Recipe: cacao almond bliss balls

As part of an effort to eat and live more sustainably, I’ve started making bliss balls: a mix of dates, nuts, and other good things. They’re vegan, they’re filling, they’re affordable, and they’re easy to make in bulk. Most importantly for me, it’s meant I’m taking control and making my own snacks instead of buying pre-packaged things that produce excessive waste.

You should be able to find everything in any supermarket or health food store.

Makes 10-15 depending on the size you prefer. These last for approximately 7 days in the fridge and longer in the freezer!

Ingredients

• 220g Medjool dates, chopped and de-pitted.
• 1 cup raw almonds (for any allergy requirements, you can sub with equal amounts of another nut or sunflower seeds).
• 4 tsp raw cacao powder (alter the quantity depending how chocolaty you like yours. I like mine really chocolaty so I opt for 5, sometimes even 6 tsp).
• 1 tbsp almond or peanut butter (or tahini if allergic to nuts).
• Optional: desiccated coconut to roll the balls in.

Method

• Start by blitzing the almonds in a food processor for about 30 seconds or until they form a chunky meal (don’t blend for too long, or the almonds start to form a fine powder or paste).
• Add in all remaining ingredients except for the coconut and blitz for 1 minute or until the ingredients start to form a dough-like substance (this might require a splash of water to bind, but not too much or the mix will be too wet).
• From the ‘dough,’ roll spoonfuls into balls and then roll in the coconut if you wish.
• Lay out on a tray or container and refrigerate before eating.