The netball representative carnivals are high intensity. They involve 7-8 half games in one day, preparing the girls for the big finale that is the 3-day State Netball Championships!

The players aren’t really that hungry throughout the day, which is natural as they’re keeping their energy for playing, not digesting, but they still need to eat and drink to help prevent fatigue, keep them focused and keep their energy steady.

In our Under 13’s age group, at the coaches request (yay!), all the parents pitch in to make sure there is an array of healthy snacks and food for the girls to eat between games.

Small protein and carb snacks are ideal which was how these Cookie Dough Energy Balls were born. As well as the fact my daughter’s main motivation to bake weekly is the allure of eating the leftover batter in the bowl at the end!

The combination of ingredients provide the perfect boost for the girls, all wrapped up in delicious, easy-to- eat little bites.

I have made a few batches of this since I created the recipe a couple of weeks ago and I can’t keep my kids hands off them (or mine!).

While most of us won’t be able to pack these in our school lunchboxes due to the nuts, my Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes recipe ebook is filled with nut free sweet and savoury recipes, like Apricot, Orange and Coconut Bliss Balls and Chocolate Tahini Oat Bites …

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Rolled oats
Desiccated coconut
White chia seeds
Almond meal
Peanut butter
Raw honey
Milk
Sea salt
Vanilla extract
Dark chocolate chips

Print

Cookie Dough Energy Balls

Prep Time 15 minutes

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 1 cups rolled oats or you can just use oat flour
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 tablespoon white chia seeds optional
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 1 tablespoon milk I used almond milk
• pinch sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup mini dark-chocolate chips

Instructions

• In a food processor, grind oats, coconut and chia seeds (if using), until finely ground.
• Add peanut butter, honey, almond meal, salt, vanilla, butter and milk. Process again until it's all mixed together well.
• Stir through choc chips
• Roll tablespoons of the dough into balls, if rolling proves difficult, press into balls using the palm of your hand.
• Store in refrigerator. Can be frozen.

Notes

Time Saving Tip: Alternatively you can line a shallow square or rectangular baking tin with baking paper and press the dough into the tin, pop in freezer to set, then cut into bars.

If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration, take a look at my new recipe ebook which is getting rave reviews, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!

If you make this recipe please do take photos and send them to me.

If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

Other similar recipes you might like are Raw Cacao Balls  and Chocolate Orange Truffles

Bren x