The key to loving a healthy lifestyle and consciously excluding at least some unhealthy products is to understand that choosing healthier alternatives is NOT a punishment or restriction but a PRIVILEGE. It may seem trivial to some, but for me, this was a very enlightening thought and has helped me tremendously in making dietary changes.
I developed the recipe through trial and error, and I’m not linking to anyone specific since I chose the ingredients and proportions at my own discretion. So that the balls have a firm texture but remain pleasantly soft. I strongly encourage you to try the recipe, and if you have a carrot-hater at home, they might not reject such a ball without knowing what’s in it, right?
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In recent years, I haven’t eaten many sweets, I don’t feel the need for them, but I still indulge in cakes and pastries 😉 Please don’t judge me – someone has to test all these baked goods, right? 😁 But I try to replace many sweet snacks with healthier versions. Just as I often make my beloved Raffaello with buckwheat, I recently had a craving for carrot cake, so I thought I’d make carrot energy balls, which I’ve come across several times on the internet. And although I believe that carrot cake is irreplaceable because it’s just perfect, such a nutritious carrot ball is definitely a great, even healthier, and lower-calorie alternative.
Oh, and I’ll add that if the balls aren’t sweet enough for you, you can sweeten them to your liking: in the healthier version with erythritol or xylitol, in the regular version with brown sugar. The work on them takes 15 minutes, the balls stick together in no time, it’s just time for a slight cool down.
Don’t they look pretty? 😊💗
Carrot
Ingredients
4 medium-sized carrots (about 260 g)
150 g oats
15 dates (can be replaced with raisins of the same weight)
100 ml hot water
50 g almond flakes, sunflower seeds, or nuts like cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.
3 tablespoons nut butter
2/3 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 teaspoon gingerbread spice
Optional: your preferred sweetener – in the healthier version, erythritol or xylitol, in the regular version, brown sugar
Coconut flakes for coating the balls
Directions
- Place the dates in a glass or bowl and pour hot water over them. Let them soak for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, add all other ingredients to the bowl of a food processor: peeled and chopped carrots, oats, almonds (or sunflower seeds or nuts), nut butter, cinnamon, gingerbread spice.
- Add the soaked dates and half of the remaining soaking water (50 ml). Blend everything into a smooth mixture. Taste it and add sweetener if needed, according to your desired level of sweetness. (TIP: If the mixture is too firm and thick, you can add a bit more date water, and if it’s too loose, add more oats).
- Shape the mixture into balls – you can lightly wet your hands to prevent the mixture from sticking too much. Sprinkle each ball with coconut flakes. The balls taste best when chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours. They keep well for a few days and get even better each day 🙂
Enjoy!
