VANILLA HEMP BALLS

Nourish
VANILLA HEMP BALLS

Makes 30

A delicious post-workout snack from our Co-Founder and Nutrition Director, Louise Keats.

These little protein bombs make a great post-workout snack. Cashew are a good source of resistant starch – a prebiotic that feeds the good guys in your gut – so they get a big gut-health tick from me.

I also like to use almond meal to add a boost of protein, calcium and zinc – as well as some vitamin E.

Hemp seeds are from the same species as cannabis, but they don’t have any psychoactive effects. They’re exceptionally nutritious and a rich source of protein, omega fats and various vitamins and minerals. Add them to any bliss balls – as well as granola, smoothies and salads – for a nutrient boost.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix these by hand – it will give you an extra workout!

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tbs (75g) cashew butter (or your preferred nut or seed butter)
  • 1 cup (100g) quality vanilla protein powder (gluten-free if needed)
  • 80g almond meal (ground almonds)
  • Generous pinch sea salt
  • 1 cup (90g) desiccated coconut, plus extra to roll
  • 120ml filtered water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbs raw honey
  • 3 tbs (45g) raw hemp seeds

METHOD

 

  1. Place cashew butter, protein powder, almond meal and salt into a high-powered blender or food processor and process about 10 seconds on medium speed until lightly combined (Thermomix: 10 sec/speed 5).
  2. Add coconut, water, vanilla and honey and process until mixture just comes together (Thermomix: 10 sec/speed 5).
  3. Add hemp seeds and process until just mixed through (Thermomix: 8 sec/Reverse/sp 5). If you prefer, you can stir through the hemp seeds by hand.
  4. Roll mixture into 30 balls and roll in coconut.
  5. Store in sealed container in fridge.

TIP

  • When buying desiccated coconut, try to choose a brand with no added preservatives (such as sulphur dioxide). Organic brands are generally preservative free. Sulphur dioxide (220) is a preservative that’s been associated with a range of food intolerance symptoms and it can particularly affect asthma sufferers.
  • When buying honey, I always try to source raw, local honey. Raw honey hasn’t been highly refined or heated (pasteurised) and so it typically contains more nutrients, polyphenols and pollen. The research is still unfolding, but scientists are interested in the antibacterial and immune-support role that raw honey appears to play.