Choc Cookie Dough or Carrot Cake Bliss Balls

Recipe by Chelsea Winter, from her book Nourish* Image by Tamara West

Choc Cookie Dough Protein Balls

Gluten Free - Vegan (Optional) - Nut Free (Optional) 

These moreish bliss balls are gorgeously chocolatey but also pack a nice hot of protein from the chickpeas (who'd have thought?!), and the bone broth protein powder if you use it. Perfect for lunchboxes or a sweet treat after a meal - I find having a container of them sitting in the fridge or freezer a bit of a lifesaver. Which I do often, as they're very easy to make - just whizz everything in a food processor, roll and boom, you're done. 

Ingredients

• 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• 1 1/2 cups pitted dates, finely chopped 
• 1/2 cup ground almond meal (see tip for nut free) 
• 1 tbsp bone broth protein powder 
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more if needed
• 1/3 cup cacao powder 
• Coating - 1/2 cup chopped nuts (roasted macadamias or roast almonds) 

Method 

1. Dry the chickpeas by rolling them firmly in a clean tea towel, If you have an extra 10 minutes, use the tea towel to rub off the skins (this will aid nutrition absorption).
2. Add all ingredients except the cacao powder and nuts to a food processor and whizz until smooth. You may have to do a whole lot of stopping the machine/scraping down the sides until the mixture is smooth and blend again until its combined evenly. 
3. Refrigerate the mixture for about 45 minutes until firm enough to handle. Roll into walnut-sized balls, then roll in the nuts (if using) to coat. 

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or the freezer for a month. 

Tips & Swaps - For a nut-free option, use 1/4 cup coconut flour in place of the almond meal.

Carrot Cake Bliss Balls

Gluten Free - Vegan - Nut Free (Optional) 

Ingredients

• 200g chopped dates or dried apricots
• 1 cup walnuts (See tip for nut free)
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger (optional) 
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds 
• 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or raw honey
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• zest of 1 orange 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• Coating - 3 tbsp desiccated and 3 tbsp shredded coconut or 6 tbsp one zest of 1 orange

Method 

1. Add all the bliss ball ingredients to a food processor and whizz until you have a squishy mixture that will roll together into balls, but still has a little texture and isn't puree. You may have to scrape down the sides a few times in between.
2. Roll into walnut-sized balls with clean (slightly damp) hands. 
3. For the coating, put the coconut and orange zest in a small bowl with a tiny pinch of salt and mix to combine. Roll each bliss ball in the mixture to coat.

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or the freezer for a month. 

Tips & Swaps - For a nut-free option, omit the walnuts and add 1/2 cup sunflower seed. increase the hemp seeds to 3/4 cup and increase the coconut in the bliss balls to 1/2 cup.