Engergy Balls For The Microbiome

Microbiome Engergy Balls

I’ve mentioned before how I am a big fan of learning about the microbiome and how it affects our mental health, energy levels and overall wellbeing. So I am trying to improve my microbiome every day. Eat 30 plants a week, fermented food every day, eat the rainbow, give  your microbiome a break (fast) for at least 12 hours ideally 14, avoid processed foods. All very easy for me, apart from avoiding sweet snacks, I HAVE to have something sweet with my coffee or tea, and have converted to dark chocolate (another healthy microbiome recommendation). But sometimes two or even four squares of dark chocolate are not enough, especially if I am a bit peckish.

But now I’ve discovered homemade energy balls, still covered in my beloved chocolate, but full of fruits, nuts, oats and energy. I also love them as there’s no cooking or measuring required, you just throw in what you feel like, and experiment until you get a combination or combinations that you prefer.  Now at coffee time, one or two of these and I am sated for hours.  

Ingredients

Small fist of dates or sultanas or a mix of both

Half a fist of / ground coconut and ground almonds

Big spoon of Velvet Cloud yogurt

100g bar of dark chocolate ( I alternate between mint dark chocolate and plain dark chocolate, depending on the mood)

The above ingredients are what I’ve experimented with and liked, but as long as  you get a ball you can roll at the end, you can experiment. I imagine some would like honey, vanilla or various spices – nutmeg, cinnamon etc.

Method

But all the above into a blender, and blitz. Because the mixture is quiet dry, you’ll probably need to do this in pulses, and push all the pasty mixture, as you go down to the blades, before pulsing again.

When blized, take out a small lump of paste, roll between your two hands into a ball, I like to also use a bit of ground coconut or almonds which makes it easier to roll.

Pop into the fridge for 30 mins to an hour.

Put your bar of chocolate in a glass bowl and melt in the microwave.

Plop a few balls into the mixture, and gentle roll them to cover them in chocolate, remove and set on a sheet of baking paper. At this stage some people all various coverings, chopped almons, ground coconut, you can be as adventurous as you wish. I’ve just left mine plain.

Put back into the fridge to chill again, until the chocolate is hard.

I carry a box with 3 or 4 energy balls with me in the car, or on the train to Dublin, and they are perfect in-between meals with a cup of tea or coffee.