Primal Snack Balls

You may have seen the recipe for “Cocoa and Coconut Snacks” on MDA. Anything that combines two delectable ingredients like cocoa and coconut immediately intrigues me. And we have been needing some good, tasty, portable, primal snacks for our long days at school now that we’ve given up dairy and the store-bought bars upon which we previously depended.

So last night I gave them a whirl, literally. Part of what makes them so awesome is that they are so easy. All you need is a food processor or a hardcore blender. You just dump everything in succession, grinding the nuts to a powder first, and adding the coconut oil/milk last. Then you roll them into balls and voila, tasty snack balls galore.

And they are GOOD. They’re no snickers bar, but they are NOT the gooey, sticky, weird protein bars you often get when you try to make your own. And as MDA says, they are infinitely variable – like edible CrossFit. After Lent is over, I plan to try a mocha version with ground coffee added, and maybe I’ll go for a pumpkin spice version.

Here’s the recipe, altered just a bit from MDA. But these are more guidelines than rules, so have fun with it and use whatever you have available!

1/2 cup each:

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Pecan nuts
• Hazel nuts
• Pumpkin seeds

• 3-6 dates (I used a handful of dried cherries)
• 2-4 tablespoons virgin coconut oil or coconut milk
• 1-2 scoops protein powder (I used two of vanilla whey)

To taste:

• Unsweetened cocoa powder (I used 2 tablespoons)
• Freshly ground coffee
• Shredded coconut
• Spices
• Dark chocolate chips

Run the nuts and pumpkin seeds in a food processor until ground into a fine flour. Add the dates or other fruit and coconut, and run again until smooth. Add protein power, spices, cocoa, etc., and blend. Finally, add coconut milk/oil and blend until it starts sticking. Finish by rolling the paste into 1-1 1/2 inch balls and sprinkle with more dried coconut. Refrigerate for hardness, and enjoy!