Over the weekend, we went to Louisiana to see our new niece who was just born!  It was a whirlwind of a weekend and we were all pretty much wiped out last night when we got back home.  After a good night's sleep, I am waking up feeling ready for the week!  And it's a BUSY one!  One of the ways I prep for a busy week is to make a batch of energy balls!  My new favorite combination of flavors and ingredients is my chocolate coconut energy balls that taste delicious and are the perfect snack to get you through the afternoon slump!

Energy balls have been a thing for a while now, and I don't know who invented them, but they are kind of genius!  They are one bites that are full of healthy fats, omega 3's, protein, and more good stuff that your body needs to get a little boost!  I love them because they are easy to make and you can almost put anything you want in them and they will turn out to taste pretty dang good! 

I have a few favorite recipes that I tend to whip up, but lately the combination of coconut, peanut butter, and a few chocolate chips is pretty dynamite!  My recipe for chocolate coconut energy balls are sweetened only with dates and the tiny bit of chocolate that goes a really long way!  You are going to love how these energy balls will stop your sweet tooth in its track and will help get you from lunch to dinner time without falling off track!  

I love making these for lunch boxes too and if your child's school is nut-free, simply use sunflower butter instead of nut butter to make them allergy friendly!  Which reminds me to tell you that with back to school here guys, I have a new back-to-school series coming up starting September 4th that will give you ideas for fun and healthy lunchbox and snack ideas just like this so stay tuned!

If you are interested in more energy ball recipes, you might like my Cherry Energy Balls too!

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats (can sub gluten free oats)
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
• 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
• 1/8 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
• 1 Scoop Collagen Peptides
• 1/4 Cup Chia Seeds
• 1/4 Cup Hemp Seeds
• 1 Tsp. Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Bean Powder
• 1 Tsp. Cinnamon
• 10 Dates + 1/2 Cup of Water

Directions:

• Bring dates to a boil in 1/2 cup of water and let cook for 5 minutes until dates have just softened.
• In a food processor, add oats, coconut, peanut butter, chocolate chips, collagen, chia seeds, hemp seeds, coconut oil, vanilla bean powder, cinnamon, and dates (reserving the water) and pulse to start combining.
• Add in 1/4 up of the water that the dates were cooked in at a time to the ball mixture until it just comes together where you can squeeze the mixture into a ball and it doesn't fall apart.   You may need up to 1/2 cup depending on the consistency of nut butter. (The warm date water will melt the chocolate as it is mixed.)
• Form into 1 inch balls and then roll in extra shredded coconut or hemp seeds if desired.
• Place in the refrigerator on a baking sheet for 30 minutes and then store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

These balls are the best snack for the whole family and I can't wait for you try them!  Don't forget to pin this recipe and to tag me on Instagram @mydiaryofus for all of your recipe creations!