Mrs P’s Chocolate Orange Nutty Balls!

I’ve been trialling the perfect chocolate snack for a while now and I finally think I have found the ideal combination. One of my favourite all time chocolates is Green and Blacks Orange, in fact, orange chocolate in general of any kind will do. . .I just LOVE it. However, it’s not good for me or my blood sugars so I try to steer clear of it as best I can.

These balls of deliciousness are quick to make, with a sweet tangy taste, insatiable crunch and truffle like indulgence. However with just raw cacao, orange zest, dates, coconut and nuts, these little balls are protein rich, low in sugar, high in vitamin c and antioxidants – eat your heart out Terry’s ! They are the perfect treat; for an afternoon pick me up at work, in a childs packed lunch or as a pre / post work out energy boost – any occasion really!

 What you will need: 
To make 12 bite sized balls.

*1 orange zest
*1/2 cup dates (about 10)
*1 tbsp desiccated coconut
*1 tbsp raw cacao
*1 cup mixed macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and almonds

Directions:

• Grate the zest of one large orange
• In a pan, place all your dates and about 1/2 cup cold water
• Bring to boil and simmer until all the water has dissolved and the dates have caramelised
• Into a blender place your orange zest, mixed nuts, cacao, coconut and dates
• Blitz for about 1 minute, keep checking the mixture, stir to make sure it’s all getting broken up.
• Continue to pulse until fully mixed and sticking together
• Hand roll in to small bite sized balls
• Place in the fridge for 2 hrs before serving.
• Store in the fridge in a sealed container (if you haven’t eaten them all already!).

Benefits of Cacao:

• ANTIOXIDANTS: Raw cacao contains tons of antioxidants called flavonoids which promote general health and can help protect your cells from damage. The antioxidants help to protect us against cardiovascular health by reducing the body’s ability to clot. They also help to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks as well as some brain ailments such as Alzheimer’s disease and help protect against some cancers
• VITAMINS: Cacao is high in Viatamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and pantothenic acid
• ANTIDEPRESSANT: Cacao raises the level of serotonin in the brain and therefore promotes a positive outlook and helps to create an overall  sense of well-being. It also stimulates the secretion of endorphins which are our natural pain and stress chemicals which can help to produce a sense of pleasure
• MINERALS: Cacao’s rich in magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper and manganese

Where to buy it:

Cacao is  more expensive than cocoa but as it’s in its purest form you can use a lot less of it at any one time. It does, unlike cocoa, retain all it’s health benefits. I buy mine from Whole Foods- at around £4.50 for 200g. There are a lot of online retailers that sell it too like here and  here