WELL NOURISH: Bliss Balls That Are Good For You & The Planet
By Rebecca A.
We love bliss balls in our family. One of our family values is sustainability, and we also try and keep sugar to a minimum (except for TREAT DAY once a week), so this means that packaged snack food doesn’t often make it onto our shopping list. Instead, I attempt to bake when I can, and these no-bake balls are not only sugar-free and made with mostly bulk foods (or from glass/recyclable containers), but they are also gluten-free and have dairy-free and vegan options. As a bonus, the kids love helping to make these and rolling the balls in their hands is great for their fine motor skills.
These recipes are tried, tested and approved! The first recipe is from one of my favourite whole foods cookbook - My Petite Kitchen - and the rest were taught to me by Beijing’s own Pauline van Hasselt of Pauline’s Cuisine.
Almost all of the ingredients can either be found in bulk markets (Sanyuanli is your best bet) so you can use your own bags or containers, or in reusable/recyclable glass containers from Jenny Lou's or April Gourmet.
The truffles can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container, but I find they are best kept in the fridge. They will keep for 3-4 days. Use the following method to make all the bliss balls, and keep scrolling for the different recipes.
How To Make Bliss Balls
1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture starts to come together like a dough.
2. Using your hands, take a spoonful of mixture and roll into small balls.
4. Roll the balls in coconut or crushed seeds until well coated. Transfer to a plate, then chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set.
Lemon and Coconut Bliss Balls
Recipe from Eleanor Ozrich’s ‘My Petite Kitchen Cookbook.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of desiccated coconut - put aside ½ cup of the coconut in a bowl for rolling the bliss balls in later
- 1 cup of almond meal
- 1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil or 80g unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of sea salt
Chocolate Snow Bliss Balls
Recipe from Pauline’s Cuisine
Ingredients
2 cups dates, welled - soak in boiling water for 15 minutes before using
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 ½ cup almond flour
½ cup cocoa powder
Desiccated coconut to roll the balls in
Carrot Cake Balls
Recipe from Pauline’s Cuisine
Ingredients
2 grated carrots
½ cup peanut butter
1 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 cups oats
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 cup dates, welled/de-pitted
Hope you enjoy these delicious snacks! Let us know in the comments if you try them and how they turn out!
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