Brilliant Energy Balls for labour and motherhood

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Homemade energy balls and a brilliant simple and nutritious snack that are packed full of goodness. You get a great uplifting a kick of energy, plus good fats and nutrients from the nuts, and a delicious chocolate hit from the cocoa too. Yes! These are the perfect snack to grab from the fridge in pregnancy to curb a craving, and to munch on for energy in labour. Also brilliant postnatally too, and indeed for anyone who wants a delicious yet good for you snack.

They super simple to make, you just need a food processor and you can make a batch for the week ahead (if you can make them last that long). They will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge if you are making some in preparation for labour

Recipe – makes around 16 balls (depending how big you make them!)

100g of amlonds, hazelnuts or other nut of your choice (a mix of nuts is also fine)
100g of medjool dates (soak them for 5 mins in just boiled water, then drain)
100g of desiccated coconut
4 tbsp of raw cacao powder
3 tbsp of coconut oil or honey
Pinch of sea salt

Options to roll them in: cocoa powder, dessicated coconut, sesame seeds, chia seeds

Options to add for extra flavour - teaspoon cinnamon, teaspoon vanilla extract, orange zest

  1. Place the nuts in the food processor, blitz for a minute until coarsly chopped.

  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until fully combined into a ‘dough’ in a ball in the processor. If it doesn’t seems to come together a a tablespoon of water at a time until it does.

  3. Roll into balls (about a large teaspoon at a time). Roll them in your choice of cocoa powder, sesame seeds, dessicated coconut etc

Put them in the fridge to firm up.

Enjoy!

Susan x