Description
Spice up your day with vegan dark chocolate chili energy balls! Full of protein, fibre, spicy chocolate-y goodness and… even a roasted beet!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup quick oats (or rolled oats)
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1 medium roasted beet* (see note for omitting)
- 1/2 cup pitted dates (soaked in hot water for 5 minutes if too hard)
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder (reserve 2 tbsp for rolling the finished balls)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/8 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips, melted
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed (optional for an extra boost of protein)
- 1 tsp mild chili powder (or 1/4 tsp additional cayenne pepper for rolling the finished balls)
*Fresh Ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
- Add oats and almonds to your food processor and pulse until the almonds are broken down into a coarse meal.
- Add the roasted beet (slice it into smaller pieces to make it easier to blend) and the remaining ingredients, making sure to only add 2 tbsp cocoa powder at this time. Blend until combined and the dough starts to form a ball in the food processor. If the mixture seems too wet you can add more oats and if it’s too dry add a splash of water, milk, or a bit more maple syrup if you want some more sweetness.
- Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop or spoon and roll between your palms until 18-20 smaller balls are formed (feel free to make larger energy balls).
- Combine the remaining 2 tbsp cocoa powder and the mild chili powder for a milder spice or the cayenne pepper for a bit more heat. Roll the finished balls in the spicy cocoa mixture and refrigerate. You can enjoy these immediately they will just be a softer texture and will firm up in the fridge.
- Store in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for longer storage. We love keeping these in the freezer and grabbing them whenever we need a snack!
Notes
Approximate Cost: CAD $3.87 ($0.22/ball if making 18).
If you don’t have a roasted beet you can add an additional ½ cup almonds or nut of your choice. Take a look at our brownie energy ball for inspiration. I haven’t tried this recipe with a raw beet. Using a raw beet should work, the beet will just not be as sweet tasting and the texture of the ball might not be as smooth.
If you prefer to reduce the amount of added sugar you can try omitting the melted chocolate chips and adding an additional tablespoon of cocoa powder to the energy ball dough.
Using a food processor will be the easiest way to make these. You can try using a stand up blender which should work, it will likely require more stopping and pushing the dough around to help it blend smoothly. To make these by hand you can try mashing or grating the beet and chopping the almonds and dates as finely as possible. You could omit the dates and add extra maple syrup to reduce the chopping. If you find the mixture too dry, you may need to add a bit of water, milk, nut butter, or extra liquid sweetener to help it stick together.
- Category: Snacks
- Method: food processor
- Cuisine: American