Hi everyone, I have a super recipe to share with you today!
I absolutely hate to waste food so whenever I make home made almond milk I’m always wondering what I can do with the leftover almond pulp. I’ve made cookies with it, used it as a skin scrub (FYI, it works really well and leaves your skin very soft!) and added it to smoothies and cereal. This time I decided I wanted to make some energy balls but I was stuck as to what flavour I fancied. Then I had a light bulb moment – why not add chai flavour with chai tea?
Chai Almond Energy Balls (makes 13 balls)
- 6 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup of almonds, soaked for a few hours (or the almond pulp leftover from making almond milk)
- 2 chai tea bags (I used Clipper Indian Chai Tea)
- pinch of salt
Using a food processor, process the soaked almonds until they become a rough meal and set aside (or skip this step if you are using leftover almond milk pulp). Open the tea bags and add the tea leaves to the food processor along with the pitted dates and process until the mixture becomes clumped together and sticky. Add the almonds and the pinch of salt and process again until the mixture is combined. Take small handfuls of the mixture and roll into balls. Refrigerate or wrap in foil and store in the freezer, defrosting when needed.
These taste wonderful! The chai flavour is just lovely and is well complemented by the sweetness of the dates. Each ball is about 135 calories and with the fast release simple carbs from the dates and healthy fats from the almonds plus the small amount of caffeine in the tea, they will make a brilliant pre workout snack. I have stored mine in the freezer – for morning workouts I’ll just take it out of the freezer and place in the fridge the night before, or for evening workouts I’ll just pop one in my bag and by the time my workout comes round it should be defrosted.
I love these ‘balls’ (haha, get your mind out of the gutter!) recipes as they are so versatile. You can go with any mix of dried fruit, nuts and flavourings – I adore my Cherry Bakewell Babies too! Of course you don’t have to make these as balls, they can be formed into bars or different shapes.
What would be your ideal mix of flavourings for a raw energy ball?
I love the idea of dried blueberries and raw coconut shreds! Hope your week is off to a great start, I’m off to eat some raw chocy, have a great one!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I love that idea! I have a recipe for chai cookies which I must try (as you know anything tea flavoured has me!). I think cherries and coconut would be a lovely combo, or pb with cherries perhaps.
Fab idea of keeping them in the freezer too.
Love this idea – I always wonder what to do with that left over almond goo!
This sounds really simple – and I have most of the ingredients already :-)
Thanks!
I’ve been meaning to try your cherry bakewell balls recipe for ages now and this one sounds just as delicious :)
This is such a coincidence! I just did a post on energy balls too. Yum! Chai flavoured energy balls? Love it! My current favourite will be dried mango + dates + cashew + sunflower seeds. If you are a fan of nuts, seeds, dates and dried fruits, I’m sure you’ll like that too!
These look lovely! Such a simple ingredient list too!
These look great! I wish I had a food processor so I could make almond milk… and then these!
I love my dark chocolate cherry fudge balls which I have been meaning to post a recipe of. I guess this means I will have to make another batch… haha ;-)
this is brilliant! I am always stuck with what to do with leftover pulp from nut milks, but no more! Love the idea of chai (:
Hmmm, my ideal flavour at the moment would be something with ginger!
X
Your golden green halo must be shining brightly today… I bow down in your honour :) Think I may have to hire you to project manage me x x
Thnx for ur comment on my blog, and for directing me to ur recipes for healthy snacky treats :) I really like the sound of ur cherry bakewell one and gonna giv it a go. Im unsure whether id like the almond chai one but I may possibly give it a try if Im feeling brave!
My favourite raw energy ball was actually one of Averie’s, discovered via Emma (ST Runner)’s blog: peanut butter, protein powder and carob flakes were most certainly involved. I think chocolate or carob would have to feature somewhere in any snack I made ;)
xxx