I started making a version of these during my first pregnancy when I was starving all. the. time. They are nutrient dense, full of healthy fats and quickly satisfy hanger. They came in SUPER handy after the baby was born for all of the same reasons (plus the fact that now I had zero time for silly things like meals). I have tweaked the recipe over time, reducing the sugar content and adding in more fats. Now they are a go-to snack for my kids who stand at the fridge and yell “balls!” until they get one in their hands. They also make a great new mom food gift!
Ingredients
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup shredded unsweet coconut
1/3 c. almond butter
½ cup pumpkin seeds or hemp hearts
½ cup walnuts
½ cup pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cocoa powder
½ to 1 tsp. salt
Directions
Throw everything into a food processor for about 1 minute, or until mixture holds together well but isn’t too gummy. Use a small melon baller/cookie dough scoop to scoop them out, then roll into balls in the palm of your hand until they hold together nicely.
Notes
I cut the dates in half before putting them in the food processor to ensure there aren’t any lingering pits that could interfere with the blade. If you don’t like ginger, you can leave it out. This is a great place to experiment with all kinds of spices. Cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice work nicely here, too!