Fig & Vanilla Bliss Balls

Afternoon snack time comes around and every day we find ourselves with the predicament of trying to sidestep the dreaded office fundraiser chocolate box and try to convince ourselves to stick with the celery sticks and hummus instead. But let's be honest, vegetables cut into "fun size" and homemade bean dip can start to grate on your already-monotonous work routine. Clients ask me all the time for snack ideas on how to satisfy the afternoon sweet tooth munchies, without labour-intensive prep time or weird ingredients. This is one of my go-to snacks for afternoon tea time. I like to have 2 bliss balls with a cup of herbal tea or chai tea with almond milk.

Packed with healthy fats, protein and fibre these bad boys will leave you satisfied and keep you full until dinner time. Dried figs bring natural sweetness to this snack, and contains a good dose of calcium and iron, as well as vitamins A, E, and K.

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Ingredients: makes 12 bliss balls

4-5 dried figs
¾ cup almonds
½ cup oats
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 heaped tablespoon almond butter
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
1-2 tablespoons liquid sweetener (rice malt syrup/raw honey)
Optional: 1 scoop protein powder (I use natural Sunwarrior or Boomers)

Method:

Whizz it all up in a blender until finely chopped. The consistency should be dry touch but moist enough to roll into a ball and stick together. If it is too dry, add more sweetener. If it is too moist, add more almonds or coconut. Roll into balls and refrigerate. Enjoy with a cup of herbal tea.

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Nutrition Information for 1 Bliss Ball: 480 kJ (114 cal) 4g protein 6g fat 9g carbohydrate 3.5g fibre

PS: I had one of these crumbled over my creamy almond milkshake for breakfast a few days ago, and oh my! It was so delicious! Here is what it looked like:

Creamy Almond Milkshake topped with fig & vanilla bliss ball

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Cashew & Fig Cream

My sister and I have been eating no sugar for 5 weeks. She asked me if I wanted to cut out sugar with her for a whole 8 weeks to help keep her accountable. I agreed without realising how difficult it is to actually avoid the stuff. It is literally EVERYWHERE and my eyes have really been opened to how much we eat of it without even realising.  I am still allowing myself fruit though - I could never live without fruit, it is my favourite food in the world, really!

I've really enjoyed the journey of getting creative making tasty treats without relying on sweeteners. This cashew and fig cream is one of the toppings I created for our pancakes over the weekend. It really is perfect on anything from pancakes, toast, fruit, or even in smoothies...and vegan-friendly too :)

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews Half cup filtered water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 dried figs

Method:

Add ingredients to a blender and combine on a high speed until creamy.