Cooking is my love language

If you know me in person or attended any of my face-to-face courses – chances are that I have cooked for you.

This recipe is one of my favourites to make – because it is super easy and always pleases.

One of the best things about it is that it is incredibly versatile and can work with whatever you have in the pantry.

I am often on the run and need a snack to keep me going till dinner and so here is my answer – Power Balls! I always make double quantities and store them in the freezer. This not only keeps those nuts and seeds (and their oils) fresh, but also it takes longer to eat (and longer to enjoy).

Keeping tabs on what is in your pantry

One of the other reasons that I love this recipe is that it ensures a good rotation of stock in my pantry. Because I hate, absolutely hate, wasting food.

And I tend to buy organic food, so wasting food means that I am wasting a lot of money.

However, if I make my Power Balls every 2 months (and have them ready to go in the freezer) it means that I am able to completely empty my jars. Wash them and replace them with fresh ingredients. This is important because I don’t tend to buy food in plastic packaging, I forget exactly the date I purchased them.

Storing seeds and nuts

I store all my seeds and nuts in glass jars. Mostly I buy from an organic shop like Terra Madre in brown paper bags and transfer my produce to jars.

Organic nuts and seeds do not last as long – so to keep them fresh, I store these in my fridge. This is what the top shelf of my fridge looks like!

Reducing plastic in my life

I am as passionate about reducing plastic in my life as much as cooking with fresh ingredients and women’s health! And weirdly all of these things are related.

Here’s how: Most plastic packaging use EDCs. EDCs stand for Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. EDCs are chemicals that disturb the body’s hormone systems and can cause cancer, diabetes, reproductive disorder and neurological impairments in developing foetuses and children. There has been a lot of good research on the long term effect of exposure to EDCs in plastics.

It is also well known that EDCs leach from plastics, so avoid storing your food in plastic. Switching to glass is a great alternative.

Ingredients for Mish’s Power Balls

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds (or a mixture of both)
• 1/2 cup walnuts and/or brazil nuts/almonds (any nuts will do)
• Approximately 250g pitted Medjool dates (the fresh, wrinkly ones – remove the pips first)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup goji berries
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• a good squirt of organic vanilla paste
• Pinch of sea salt*

Optional other ingredients:

• Cacao
• Cacao nibs
• Collagen powder
• Dried fruit – apricots, raisons etc

Place all ingredients except dates in a food processor (or thermomix) and blend on high until finely ground.

• Add the dates (one at a time) through the feed tube of the food processor / thermomix while the blades are running. What you should end up with is a mix that appears rather like cake crumbs, but that when pressed, will easily stick together. In fact, each time I make them, I experiment with adding more and different nuts and seeds!
• Roll into small golf balls – or you may prefer to press the mixture into a tray lined with baking paper (place in the fridge to set, then tip out and slice into squares/bars and freeze).
• If they are a little sticky – try rolling them in cacao powder, coconut or sesame seeds for a lovely nutty taste.

• Store in an airtight container (ie: Tupperware or glass jar) and eat them straight from the freezer – they’ll be lovely and firm, but not rock hard as the good oils in the nuts and seeds won’t freeze!

*My favourite salt in the whole world is made by Halen Mon and before you start muttering under your breath “food wanker” try the salt in aged oak – Good salt is well worth its… well salt! The one I used in this recipe is vanilla salt… yum yum!

These Power Balls are perfect for dealing with the mid-morning/afternoon munchies and ensure that you get your daily fix of nuts and seeds. I limit myself to one, and if you do desire a second power ball, wait 20 minutes before deciding – they do take that long to fill you… but fill you up they will!

Makes around 20 balls.

Through My Fitness Pal I have worked out each ball to be around 130 calories – the perfect snack allowance!

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