When I found out I could make these No-Bake California Prune Power Balls as part of a sponsored post, I was like, you had me at “no-bake” ????
As I’m always on the search for healthy, quick and portable snacks for busy families on-the-go, energy bites really fit the bill.
Plus, if you’re a Pinterest-er like me and search for this type of snack, you’ll see there are exactly 2.3 trillion recipes on there (I like to exaggerate for effect but you get the idea. There’s a lot.)
And when there’s overwhelm from seemingly unlimited options like that, I love having a few go-to recipes for super fueling snacks that are quick to make.
These No-Bake California Prune Power Balls are perfect for that.
I’ve been buying California Prunes a lot because they’re great for power balls, energy bites and other no-bake bars.
And prunes are great just for a snack on their own, in a bento-box style lunch, or part of a Healthy Snack Tray. My youngest loves prunes and eats them just as is.
And as you can imagine, they do wonders for his, ah, “gut health”. As a dietitian, it never ceases to amaze me how many people did not know that a healthy gut is such a big part of overall health!
Your gut says a lot about you and your gut. Poor gut health has been linked to a whole bunch of inflammatory diseases, including insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity.
Even for myself, I’ve really been on a rollercoaster ride with my own gut lately. After just testing positive for H. Pylori bacteria in my blood, I’ll now be going for a scope and biopsy to get to the bottom of my chronic heartburn and nausea that’s been going on for (I’m embarrassed to say) about 3 years?
I would get through with symptom relief for heartburn but recently it’s gotten too much so hence the doc visit and now the tests and more tests. Apparently, they use the biopsy to see if there’s an active H. Pylori infection going on. (The blood test just tells me that I have been exposed to it at some point. Not necessarily at this moment.)
And the scope is to look for ulcers.
So we’ll see...in the meantime, I’m doing everything I can with my food to support a healthy gut! I’m cutting back on my wine (bit sad), I’m drinking lots of water and I’m really going for plant foods with tons of fibre and gut benefits.
One serving of 5-6 California prunes has 3 grams of soluble and insoluble fibre to help me with my goal of a healthy gut so they're on regular rotation in my weekly on-line grocery order
I love that they’re portable, healthy and sweet too. Always a bonus.
Plus, there’s more to FOOD than just a number or just a nutrient for that matter. Plants have a bunch of different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including fibres that work together to support overall health and the immune system.
A true example of that saying “the whole is great than the sum of its parts”.
So a few points on the recipe itself - these No-bake California Prune Power Balls are super easy to make.
- I used my Ninja Chef blender to process the prunes and the almond butter - you could use a food processor
- The rice crisp cereal gives a nice crunch to the bite
- You can roll them right away - sometimes you need to let an energy bite mixture firm up in the fridge before you roll them but these are good to go
- Rolling them in coconut is something the kids could help you with!
- Add in a sprinkle of hemp hearts, flax or chia seeds for added nutrition
- For an indulgent twist, stir in 1 tablespoon (15 mL) mini chocolate chips
- Batch cooker? Power balls can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw before eating
Since making these, I’ve been grabbing 2 or 3 in the mornings with my Nespresso before we get started on the day. Then I’ve got my kick of healthy carbs, protein and healthy fats (plus a little caffeine) to really set my day up right.
Plus, I love sitting down to a family meal as much as the next person but in the morning, I’m all about nutrition in an efficient, yummy package ????
Give these No-bake California Prune Power Balls a try and I hope you love ‘em ????♀️
~April
PS. Do you LOVE COCONUT? ???? You've gotta check out this easy and delicious recipe then: Easy Coconut Energy Bites So yummy!
Other gluten-free recipes to check out:
- Healthy Banana Bread with White Beans
- Easy Sweet and Spicy Shrimp
- Lemony Brown Rice, Broccoli and Feta Salad
- Simple Haddock Quesadillas
- Gluten Free Slow Cooker Chili
This post was sponsored by the California Prune Board. It contains no affiliate links.
📖 Recipe
No-Bake California Prune Power Balls
Ingredients
- 30 pitted California prunes About 1 cup packed
- ⅓ cup almond butter
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup rice crisp cereal
- ½ cup unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds
- ⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Pulse prunes with almond butter and honey in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
- Stir in rice crisps and sunflower seeds by hand until well mixed.
- Scoop level tablespoonfuls prune mixture; form into balls and roll in coconut to coat. Repeat until all mixture is used.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 hour to set or for up to 1 week.
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