These chickpea, peanut and chocolate energy balls are a great low-glycemic snack to fuel longer days in the office, perhaps a boost pre a meeting, or a pre-training endurance (lower heart-rate zone) snack.
Nutrient dense energy balls are great if you need a snack that isn’t going to cause a big blood sugar spike that will satiate you (satisfy you) and not result in the cravings or blood sugar crash that typically follows higher-sugar, processed snacks that are the usual go-to.
- Chickpeas are a good source of protein, fibre, shown to help lower cholesterol and good for regular bowel movements!
- Nut butter is nutrient dense – I used crunchy (no sugar added) peanut butter but it would work equally well with hazelnut butter, pecan butter etc.
- 85% dark chocolate used – I’d recommend a minimum of 70% to get the health benefits of a decent cocoa quantity.
Can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days in a sealed glass jar.
Recipe
Chickpea, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Energy Balls
Notes: You could roll these when the chocolate coating is still warm on the balls in crushed nuts, desiccated coconut or other topping of choice. .
Ingredients:
- 1 tin of chickpeas drained and rinsed.
- 4 heaped tablespoons unsalted crunchy peanut butter.
- 200g 85% dark chocolate.
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional).
- Pinch of salt.
Method:
- Line a tray/tin that you will store your energy balls in with parchment paper.
- Rinse a tin of chickpeas and add to food mixer with 4 large tablespoons of crucnchy peanut butter.
- Add the salt and vanilla extract and mix quickly. Try not to over-blend to keep some of the crunch.
- Use your hands (make sure not too hot) to make ball-shaped bites (approx. 2cm in diameter) and put in the fridge for 60 mins.
- Meanwhile melt 200g dark chocolate in a small pan – roll the balls in them quickly and add back to the fridge until chocolate is hard.
- Enjoy 🙂