When it comes to getting children involved in healthy eating over Easter try the messy fun of making squishy, no-cook raw snack balls.

Made with real food ingredients and full of nutrients, these bite-size treats are at the opposite end of the nutritional scale from the empty rollercoaster of highs and lows that come from typical confectionary.  I’ve found them to be popular with all age ranges too, so keep a secret stash in the fridge unless you are prepared to have them cleared out as post-gym snacks or munchies for teen hangouts.

There’s an endless array of these raw snack ball recipes in my recipe blog, but here are two of the most popular - carrot cake for the kids and raw power chocolate truffles for exhausted parents in need of a boost.

After all, chocolate is one of our most ancient aphrodisiacs. The chemical in chocolate that affects desire is phenylethylamine, which triggers the pleasure centres in the brain. The darker the better, since it is cocoa that is the kicker, not the sugar. Studies show that dark chocolate also contains a potent antioxidant capable of destroying free radicals so you’ll be sexier and younger looking too - bonus!

CARROT CAKE ENERGY BALLS 
Makes approx. 10 balls

Ingredients

  • 60 ml buckwheat
  • 180 ml water
  • 50 g oatmeal/oats
  • 25 g unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • Zest from 1 mandarin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1-2 tbsp honey (depending on how sweet you want it!)
  • Unsweetened desiccated coconut

Method

  1. In a saucepan, add the water and bring to boil, add in the buckwheat and cook for ca 10 minutes until all water is absorbed. Leave to cool off.
  2. In a food processor add in the oats and mix until fine.
  3. Add in the coconut flakes and mix until fine.
  4. Add in the rest of the ingredients except the desiccated coconut and mix until you get a dough.
  5. Use a tablespoon shape the dough into balls and roll in desiccated coconut.
  6. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

 

RAW POWER CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
Makes approx 15 truffles

Ingredients

  • 50 g 80% dark chocolate
  • 2 tsp raw cacao
  • ½ small avocado
  • 25 g raisins
  • 2 dried figs
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 4-5 tbsp ground/shelled hemp seeds

Method

  1. In a food processor, add the chocolate and mix until fine.
  2. Add in the raw cacao, avocado, raisins, dried figs and ginger.
  3. Mix until you get a sticky ball.
  4. Use a teaspoon to shape the truffles into desired shape and roll them in hemp seeds. Alternatively - you can leave the dough in the fridge for an hour to make it easier to work with.
  5. Eat immediately or preferably leave in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.