This recipe (adapted from the “Whole Foods to Thrive” cookbook) is another variation for some good tasting power balls that you can easily use as a "pre" or "post" workout snack.  Or, if you choose, they can also be considered a quick "anytime" snack along with a piece of fresh fruit.  As mentioned in the title, some people think they're pretty close to eating raw cookie dough!  But, they don't just taste good, they're good for you too!

Be sure they're kept refrigerated, or cold, as they tend to soften a bit too much if they're left at room temperature.

Ingredients:

¾         cups of ground raw oats (grind the oats in your food processor first before adding anything) **to make this gluten free – I used brown rice flakes

1 ¾      cups of ground raw cashews (best if soaked for at least 2 hours and be sure to rinse!)

¼ cup   agave nectar

2 tsp     vanilla extract

¼ cup   organic pure virgin coconut oil (place in container in hot water to liquefy)

**  Then, to your liking, add any, or all, of the following as well:

¼ cup sunflower seeds, ¼ cup flax seeds (either ground or whole), ¼ cup chia seeds, and various amounts of walnuts, pecans, almonds, hemp hearts.  Actually, any nut or seed works!

Mix together some shredded coconut and hemp hearts, in a bowl, and use for coating balls.

Preparation:

Start with processing your oats, add the remainding ingredients (execpt for the coconut and hemp hearts) one at a time and process until creamy.  Roll small amounts in your hand into bite size pieces and cover with hemp hearts and coconut shreds.  Place in freezer until firm.  You can eat them right out of the freezer or let them thaw some first.

These are great snacks that work as both pre and post exercise foods.  Remember:  ALL nuts and seeds must be purchased raw and then soaked to aid in digestion.  The longer you soak the above nuts and seeds the creamier the balls become (hence the term "cookie dough")

NOTE:  I usually don’t add all that sweetness so I will often replace the agave nectar and vanilla with cinnamon powder (great little sweetener), as well as date paste (3 dates soaked in 3 tablespoons of water, then mashed and added to mixture).

I've also made carob chips to add to these balls.  That's mixing carob powder and agave nectar and then spreading it out over a cookie sheet.  Place this in the freezer until hard enough to cut or tear into small pieces and then add to the dough prior to rolling.

As you can tell, every time I make this they taste different.  Feel free to experiment with this one!

Loreli loves to exercise, and she loves to eat too! Her fitness company, Alter Ego Fitness Experience, offers outdoor Group Fitness (boot camp) classes and Personal Training.  Loreli is very aware, due to personal experience, of the value of healthy food that not only nourishes the body, but also nourishes the mind and pleases the palate.

“One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well, if one has not dined well.” - Virginia Wolfe