Orange & Date Balls
You can call them protein balls, bliss balls, truffles, snack balls – anything you’d like. The one thing I like to call these orbs of tastiness is simply DELICIOUS. I love experimenting in the kitchen with common ingredients found around the house, and these balls came up an absolute treat.
What do you do when you’ve got oranges, dates, brazil nuts and some cacoa powder? You blitz them up in your food processor of choice (I’m currently using the
Russell Hobbs Performance Food Processer
) and laugh, because it truly is that easy.
I’ve made a lot of healthy treats over the past couple of years, and my number one taste tester is my Dad. He’s super honest and will always tell me the truth if something tastes good (or absolutely foul). I cautiously handed him a ball, and his reaction was everything I’d dreamed of. HE LOVED THEM.
Good old Dad said these were the TASTIEST snacks I’d ever made, EVER. The orange and dates really go hand-in-hand, whilst the brazil nuts create the perfect base. They were also a hit in the office, and I’d highly suggest doubling the recipe for extra snack balls… they will go in the blink of an eye!
The really special thing about these bite size delights are the addition of brazil nuts. When making healthy snack balls I often use almonds, dates or sultanas as a base. There are not many foods that are high in selenium, but the humble brazil nut is one of few that contains this anti-cancer powerhouse. Selenium assists thyroid function by converting the inactive thyroid hormone into the active form (T3). When you've got a healthy thyroid function, this means you've got a healthy metabolism! You can read more about the health benefits of brazil nuts
As always, if you make them please tag me on Instagram at @eatwithelle and use the hashtag #eatwithelle x
You’ll need:
- 1 cup of pitted dates
- 1 cup of brazil nuts
- ½ orange, juiced
- 1 orange rind
- 1 tbsp cacao powder
Put your dates into the food processor, and pulse until a sticky mixture forms. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and continue to mix until all are well combined. Roll into balls and chill for at least an hour – enjoy! X