Chocolate-Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Holy moly, I think we may have survived winter! It’s April, it’s 60 degrees and sunny, and tulips are starting to bloom. There’s a new bounce in my step and I feel so joyous that I actually smiled at a stranger on the subway. (I thought I knew them, they weren’t who I thought I knew, it was awkward … I’ve learned my lesson: don’t smile at people on the subway.)

Warmer days means the return of one of my favorite activities: morning runs. A combination of bad weather and a packed work schedule meant I’ve really cut back on my running, but I’m ready to get back in the game, one very slow step at a time. Back in the day, I used to run on an empty stomach, but I’m older and wiser now, and have recently discovered the world of “energy balls.”

They’re usually five ingredients or less, packed with nutrients and incredibly easy to make, and come in all sorts of amazing flavors: brownie, strawberry, carrot cake.

I of course went with chocolate-peanut butter, and the process couldn’t be simpler: throw all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor, ball them up and keep them in the fridge. They’re perfect before runs, before yoga, after a long day at work while you’re trying to figure out dinner, as a healthy-ish dessert … the hardest part is remembering how many I’ve already had so that I don’t end up accidentally eating 5 a day.

What are you looking forward to this spring?

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Energy Balls

• Yield: 24 1x

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Ingredients

• 2 cups dates, pitted (if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain well, reserving the water if using a blender)
• 1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (or ground flax or hemp seeds)
• 2/3 cup rolled oats

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Instructions

1. Using a food processor or a blender, pulse the dates until they’re into small pieces. (If you’re using a blender, you may want to use some of the reserved water to loosen up the dates.)
2. Add the peanut butter, cocoa powder, chia seeds and oats and mix until combined. You want the mixture to still retain some texture — not be overly smooth.
3. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Roll the mixture into 24 1-inch balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for whenever you need a quick energy boost!

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