Cherry Almond Energy Balls (Or Thank You, Jennifer!)

Remember how I was whining about last week being such a long, painful week? Well, it got a whole lot better Friday morning!

After an early morning staff meeting, a fellow coworker snagged me in the hall, and asked what my room number was. I must have given her a rather quizzical look, (and no, it’s not because I didn’t know my room number) as she quickly added that a former student was going to drop off a treat for me! How awesome was that?!

His mom, Jennifer,  frequently surprised me with treats when I had him in class last year, and I was thrilled she remembered me. We share a love of nutrient dense snacks.

When I got back to my classroom, these was waiting for me on my desk…complete with a recipe!!

I’d like to tell you that I ate a couple, and brought the rest home, but that would be a lie. They were gone by noon. They were delicious and oh-so-very filling. I really wasn’t even hungry for lunch.

I knew I had to make these, and soon.

So Saturday, after dropping off Hovie child #3 at the airport (so she could head back to school), and subsequently wiping the tears from my eyes (don’t worry…my recovery time is getting a lot faster), we made a stop for a little Whole Foods therapy. (Can you believe the nearest Whole Foods is 100 miles away…how unfair is that?)

Anyway, I was loading up on bulk nuts, seeds, and grains when I spotted these little guys. And when I say little, I don’t really mean little…’cuz there’s nothing little about them. These were some “hugh jass” dried cherries!

Now the original recipe called for blueberries, but hey…these were just begging to be bought and used.

So that’s exactly what I did.

I kept to Jennifer’s recipe…just tweaked it a bit to match the cherry theme.

Almond Cherry Energy Balls

1 c. raw almonds

1 c. raw cashews

1 c. dates (pits removed)

2 T. hemp seeds (my addition)

1 c. dried cherries (original recipe called for dried blueberries…and Jennifer made her own…quite impressive!)

2 T. fresh lime juice (Jennifer used lemon)

1 t. almond extract (Jennifer used vanilla nut)

a pinch of sea salt

Pulse nuts and dates in processor until sticky. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend until combined. Roll into balls and stick in the refrigerator.

You really need to give these a try! I’m thinking the possibilities are endless as far as flavors go! Just mix your favorite dried fruit with your favorite nut and add flavorings to compliment. What combos are you thinking about?