Hi friends,
I actually can’t believe it’s so close to Christmas… where has the year gone? It feels like the older I get, the faster the years fly by! For this recipe, I got the inspiration from Starbucks actually… I used to work there years ago and their peppermint mocha used to be one of my favourite drinks. It is so festive and delicious but also full of a TON of sugar so I channeled my favourite holiday drink and made these instead!
I used cacao & peppermint to create similar flavours but then also incorporated some healthy fats from walnuts and coconut. I always try to incorporate as much Omega 3 into my diet as I can, which is why I used walnuts in this recipe. Omega 3s are anti-inflammatory unlike Omega 6 and may even help to lower the risk of heart disease, depression and arthritis! These days we consume so much Omega 6 (canola oil, safflower oil, corn oil, whole grain breads etc.) that for me it’s super important to try and get more Omega 3 into me daily because there are only so many places to get Omega 3 fatty acids (fish, chia, walnuts etc.)
I’m 100% sure you guys know by now that energy balls are my absolute favourite! I have quite a few recipes on my blog so go ahead and click any of these links to check them out while you’re browsing this post:
- Coconut Energy Balls
- Carrot Cake Energy Bites
- Vegan Cookie Dough Protein Balls
- Lemon Coconut Energy Bombs
As always, feel free to substitute based on what you have. A mix of nuts/seeds can be used in place of the coconut shreds and walnuts. Some of my favourite nuts and seeds to add to energy bites are pecans, almonds, brazil nuts, hemp seeds, walnuts or flax seeds!
I hope you try this recipe very soon. It’s the perfect way to ease into the holiday treats that are surely coming your way.
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Vegan Peppermint Mocha Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts (or pecans/almonds or a mix!)
- 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 7 medjool dates (pits removed) (add more for extra sweetness)
- 3 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tsp instant coffee+1 tbsp water mixed
- 1/2 tsp natural peppermint extract
- 3 heaping tbsp unsweetened almond butter
- pinch of fine pink salt
Optional
- 1 tbsp cacao powder for dusting on top
Instructions
- In a food processor, using the "S" blade, mix walnuts and coconut for about 1-2 minutes on low until mixture is very fine.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix on high for another 2 minutes or until well combined.
- Taste - adjust as necessary. You can add more peppermint, more cacao or dates if needed.
- Form into balls, dust with extra cacao powder if desired. Serve or transfer into an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
