When you’re trying to keep yourself healthy, yet you’re a sweet tooth from way back, bliss balls are a great way to feel like you’re getting your much needed treats.
I’ve racked up a few bliss ball recipes now – here, here and here, some healthier than others. I would say this recipe is potentially the healthiest, with the least amount of sweetener (this one just uses dates as opposed to the others I’ve made which use added dried fruits or maple syrup). It’s also got the highest amount of healthy fats in it, including saturated fat from the coconut oil, and the mono-unsaturated fats from the almonds.
I used the recipe from Taste.com.au which was almost identical to one I’d been using from the Alkaline Reset Cleanse book by Ross Bridgeford. The only major difference really is that the book version has only 4 dates in it as opposed to 12 dates in the Taste recipe. Obviously the latter provides a much sweeter product; in my version I’ve aimed for the middle with 8 dates, but you can use as many as you want really. I’ve also added in a quarter cup of whole almonds (as per the book recipe) to give a slight crunch factor which is missing from the Taste recipe.
And, on that note, you can really add anything you like into these balls, e.g. other seeds or nuts, freeze dried fruit (like raspberries or strawberries), or dried fruit like apricots, figs or cranberries. I’m partial to the combination of orange and chocolate, so often add one tablespoon of orange zest (from one large orange) to the mixture – yum!
It may not be the most exciting bliss ball recipe I’ve ever tried, but it’s one that works the best for my health needs right now. If you’re looking for nutritious bliss balls with plenty of healthy fats and minimum sweetness, these babies are for you. Enjoy!
HEALTHY CACAO, COCONUT & ALMOND BLISS BALLS
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8-12 Medjool or fresh Iranian dates (can go as low as 3 dates if you prefer)
- 1/4 cup whole almonds
- 1 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut plus 1/3 cup extra for rolling (optional)
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (can be added as solid or soft)
- 1/3 cup cacao powder
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Place dates in a medium bowl and cover with water (if you don’t have a good processor, you can also add the whole almonds in with them as well). Stand for 1 hour.
- Drain and discard the date seeds.
- Into a processor add the drained dates, whole almonds, ground almonds, shredded coconut, coconut oil, cacao powder and chia seeds until mixture comes together. Transfer to a bowl and stand for 20 minutes for chia seeds to soften.
- Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Can roll them in the extra shredded coconut or sift cacao powder over top, like I did. Refrigerate to chill. Can be frozen for a month.