One of my biggest challenges when photographing beige- or blah-coloured recipes is making them look as appealing as they taste…the struggle is real! Dishes like curries, brownies, oatmeal, energy balls, etc. tend to look a bit sad through the camera’s lens. If you want a giggle, check out one of the very first beige/brown recipe photos I ever took on the blog. I posted this Pumpkin Banana Bran & Oatmeal Muffin recipe way back in 2008 (holy cow, I’m a blogging DINOSAUR! lol).
A good trick I’ve learned through countless trial and error (mostly error…and a few curse words) is that I need to add a lot of colour to photos even if the food itself isn’t colourful. It probably seems obvious, but with so many other things going on for a photo shoot (cooking, food styling, camera settings, lighting, etc.) it can be easy to forget the importance of planning for colour. If I’m shooting oatmeal or plain Jane muffins, I try to add some enticing fruit on top and more pops of colour on the table itself—a bright green Matcha tea, fresh flowers, a glass of OJ, or a colourful cloth napkin (without being too busy) can all create a gorgeous photo when the food itself looks pretty blah. This approach helped me photograph these flourless breakfast muffins (recipe to come!) and I’m pleased with how the app photo turned out!
I wasn’t quite as happy with the photo shoot of these energy balls because I had to rush (when naptime’s over, it’s OVA), but they’ll just have to do! I love how the colourful garnishes I added made the energy balls go from blah and beige to vibrant and enticing. I rolled them in fun pops of colour and a variety of textures: beet-coloured shredded coconut, ground pistachios (so pretty and chewy!), hemp hearts, and cocoa powder. I loved them all. I also tried rolling some in Matcha green tea powder, but they were soooo bitter. That one was a big NOPE! Cutting the Matcha with powdered icing sugar might’ve worked better, but I wanted to keep these bad boys naturally sweetened, so I opted to skip the Matcha altogether. To make the pink-hued shredded coconut, I added some beet juice (prepared the same way as my Vegan Sugar Cookies’ Pink Frosting) to the shredded coconut in a bowl. I put a plastic bag over my hand so it wouldn’t get stained in the process (#fancy) and then I “massaged” the beet juice into the shredded coconut until it was dispersed. It worked wonderfully and the result was so pretty! I sprinkled my leftover coconut on oatmeal.
Rest assured though, these nutty energy bites are just as good eaten as-is! I love keeping a stash in the freezer for quick snacking, and find the texture gets even better when they’ve been frozen too.
Also a quick note that I won’t be posting this Friday’s Ask Angela as I’ve come down with the flu (luckily today’s blog post was created last week so I could still share it). It was bound to happen as I’ve been taking care of two sick little ones, while up a lot at night and nursing to boot. I hope everyone has a very happy weekend and that you’re feeling well. I know where I’ll be…curled up with a big bowl of soup (hopefully my Golden Spiced Lentil Soup!) and warm lemon water. I’ll be a bit delayed replying to your reviews, questions, and comments this week, but please know that I will reply as soon as I’m feeling better!
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Triple Almond Energy Balls
Yield
12 balls
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Chill time
60 Minutes (optional)
Total time
I love energy balls because they’re infinitely customizable and so easy to take on the go. I like to grab a couple straight from the freezer and pop them into a small glass jar to throw in my purse on busy days. They’re perfect for for tiding you over until mealtime, and this Triple Almond Energy Ball recipe is toddler-approved, too—just be sure to cut them up into small pieces as ball shapes are a choking hazard. Their rich, nutty flavour comes from using whole almonds, roasted almond butter, and almond extract. A true triple threat!! You may recognize the flavour from my Triple Almond Thumbprint Cookies in Oh She Glows Every Day. I just can’t get enough of almond extract—I find it really heightens the flavour in almond-based recipes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (155 g) raw almonds
- 1/2 cup (75 g) raw cashews
- 1/2 cup (115 g) tightly packed pitted Medjool dates*
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) roasted almond butter or raw cashew butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, or to taste
- 5 teaspoons (25 mL) water, or as needed**
- Shredded coconut, hemp hearts, ground shelled pistachios, or cocoa powder, for rolling
Directions
- Add the almonds and cashews to a food processor and process into a coarse crumb. Be sure not to overprocess the nuts into butter.
- To the nut mixture, add the pitted dates. Process again until the dates are finely chopped.
- Next, add the roasted almond butter (or raw cashew butter, if using), cinnamon, salt, almond extract, and water (starting with a couple teaspoons) to the processor bowl and process again until the mixture comes together into a dough. You should be able to easily roll the dough into balls without them feeling dry or crumbly. If the dough is too dry, add more water one teaspoon at a time and continue processing until the mixture moistens to desired consistency.
- Roll the dough into 11 to 12 golf ball-sized balls. If using, roll each ball in your garnish of choice: shredded coconut, hemp hearts, ground shelled pistachios (or other nuts), or cocoa powder. (If the garnishes aren't sticking, you can lightly wet the balls with water before rolling.)
- Chill the balls in the freezer for about an hour to firm up, or feel free to eat them at room temperature if you can’t wait that long! Leftover balls will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for a few weeks. You can also store them in the fridge in an airtight container for several days if you prefer.
Tip:
* You’ll want to make sure the dates are very well packed into the measuring cup. If your dates are very firm and dry, I also recommend soaking them in hot water for about half an hour, and then draining well before using as directed.
** The amount of water you will need will depend on how fresh and sticky your Medjool dates are.
These energy balls have a soft texture. If you prefer a crunchier consistency, you can roll the balls in ground nuts or stir some chopped nuts or chocolate into the dough itself.
To make the pink shredded coconut, I mixed unsweetened shredded coconut with a bit of beet juice.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
These sound delightful. That was such a good idea to add the beet juice to the coconut because I love the variety of colors that you chose for the garnish. Yum!
Thanks Scarlet! It was fun to create and Adriana was quite impressed with the PINK coconut! lol
Just discovered your blog. I loved it. Can’t wait to make one of your recipe tomorrow. I like that they seem quick, but very healthy and delicious. Thanks for posts! :))
Thank you so much…I hope you love the recipes :)
Delicious! I accidentally doubled the almond extract (but it’s my favorite, so no problem).
Good call on doubling it! ;) So glad you enjoyed these Wynne.
I made these today, and they are fabulous! I rolled them in cocoa powder. which tastes especially great with almond extract. These are so easy and good that they’ll stay in my regular rotation. Thank you!
Hey Elizabeth, Thanks for your review! I’m so glad they were a hit. :) They’re my new go-to’s as well. I’m bringing a couple with me to a hair appointment this morning actually, hah.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m looking for to making them. After reading about blah pictures of brown things it reminded me… have you ever noticed the hair on the cookie dough ball in OSG cook book? Page 234. Of course I just pull it off and kept eating ;) love that book!
Someone told me about it recently…ugh! A photographer’s nightmare…and also the perils of photographing with antique barnboards/wood. :(
nutrition info?
Hey Lauren, I’m sorry I don’t have it, but if I calculate it I will add it to the recipe tips :)
Could I use date paste?
Hey Donna, Oh that’s a great question! I haven’t worked with date paste for this recipe, but it could work. I think you’d need to adjust the amount probably using less date paste. Maybe add it slowly starting with 3 tbsp to 1/4 cup and going from there until the right consistency is achieved?
Sorry I meant to say starting with 3 tbsp to 1/4 cup (not 1/3-1/2 cup as originally written) :)
Just made these! Super easy, my 5 year old enjoyed rolling the balls into the hemp hearts and more than that he and his brother enjoyed the finished product! New to your recipes and I loved the first one, will return soon! Five stars from our family!
Aww thank you Lisa! I’m so glad your first OSG recipe was a hit. :) I’d love to hear how your next one goes too!
OMG these are a hit I’m 63 just turned vegan my wife dose weight watchers so was wondering about if anybody fig out the points. Thanks again
Hey Louis, I’m so glad you loved them! Thanks for your review.
Can you substitute raisins for dates?!
I can’t see why not! You may need to make a couple recipe adjustments (water amount, for example) but they should work okay. I’d love to hear how it goes if you try it out.
These are so delicious and healthy that I had to make them twice in the past two days! My only question is, how do you make the toppings stick to the balls better? I can’t get the coconut to stick as much as I’d like to.
Hey Mary, Oh good question! I found that if I lightly wet the energy balls a bit it helped when rolling in the toppings. I meant to put this in my directions, but maybe I forgot. :) Let me know if that helps you too!
Great recipes! Thanks for all your dedication and hard work on your website.
Thank you so much Chris! Happy cooking :)
Yumyyyyy. I just make few time energy balls with coconut flour and peanut butter… Can’t wait to make those here!!! :) Just save it on my Pinterest Board “healthy meets tasty” xoxo
http://hiddeninbeauty.com/
Hi! I’ve many energy balls over the years & my toddler loves them. As we’re moving soon, I don’t want to buy almond extract and have to pack it up. (If you know what I mean.) Hence, I’m wondering if anyone has tried this recipe without the almond extract?
Best Wishes from an intriguing view of a rain storm on Vancouver Island.
Hey Laurie, Totally understand that! I’m not sure if I have tried it without, but I think they’d still be tasty. I do have to say though that the almond extract adds a WOW factor that I crave. Good luck with your move!
I’m not vegan (or even vegetarian) but these look great for hiking/backpacking snacks, rather than purchasing a prepackaged (and more expensive) energy bar. Here’s a question – why do you specify raw almonds and cashews? I prefer the flavor of toasted nuts, but if toasting messes up the texture or the ability to shape these I’ll stick to raw. Thanks!
Hey Margaret, You can definitely use roasted if you prefer…I haven’t tried it yet, but I think it should work just fine. :)
I only have raw almond butter, will that still taste good or why is the almond butter in the recipe roasted but the cashew butter raw
Hey Nicole, You can absolutely use raw almond butter if you’d like. I tend to prefer the flavour of roasted, but they’re generally interchangeable in recipes.
This is the best recipe for energy balls or bars. So tasty and easy to make, i keep making it over and over. Thank you Angela!!! ❤️
I’m so glad you love them as much as we do :) That almond extract is my fave!
Love this recipe. Thanks for sharing. Keep it up
They look very yummy..have to try them out. What is the shelf life of the energy bites?
Add all the toppings together for a “funfetti” look! Wish I could add the pic of it! Great for kids party and adds exciting look to it.
Such a great idea Holly! Thanks for sharing :)