Introduction

Mom used to make Peanut Butter Balls and we loved them! I wish I could ask her how she made them but unfortunately I cannot. I miss you Mom! So instead I created my own. These Healthy Peanut Butter Balls are just the energy boost for a cranky child so they can carry on living their best life until you get where you’re going. Or, I also love to eat one for dessert when I’m craving something sweet!

I like to add nutritionally dense ingredients into these Healthy Peanut Butter Balls. You can use oat flour or turn plain oats into flour with a blender. Add Chia seeds and flaxseeds for fiber, antioxidants, thiamine and ALA Omega-3 fatty acids, check the links for more nutritional benefits! If you can, use all-natural, creamy peanut butter without any additives, but any nut butter will work well. Even “normal” peanut butter works, but I’m always trying to cut out sugar and palm oil which are often found in these brands.

I use a NutriBullet to blend this mixture; it works best if I shake the bullet to re-arrange the mixture in between bursts. I shake it, then blend for a few seconds, then shake it, and blend again, repeating as I go, and scraping down the sides if it’s not moving. A food processor would probably work well too.

The key to making these delicious little balls of joy is to first blend the dry ingredients, and then add the wet ingredients. You can add hemp seeds or adjust the amount of chia / flaxseeds. The texture will depend a great deal on the type of peanut butter you use – you need to ensure a consistency that allows the ball to stick together but isn’t too oily.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cup oats (115 grams)
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds (20 grams)
• 4 tablespoons ground flaxseed (36 grams)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 scant teaspoons coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey (75 grams)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (85 grams)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, optional – depends on the peanut butter

Method to Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

1. Put the oats, seeds and cinnamon into a high-powered blender and blitz to combine.
2. Pour 1 teaspoon of oil into the 1/4 cup measure and use it to oil the measuring cup. Pour any excess into the blender.
3. Pour the honey into the oiled measuring cup, and add to the blender. The honey should slide right out of the cup.
4. Repeat step 2 to re-oil the measuring cup with the other teaspoon of oil.
5. Scoop the peanut butter into the oiled measuring cup, and add to the blender.
6. Shake the blender a little to coat the wet ingredients with the dry, and then pulse to combine. Pulse, shake, pulse, shake. Scrape down the sides, and repeat until the wet areas have dissipated.
7. When the mixture has mostly combined, dump it unceremoniously out of the blender into a small bowl or indeed a clean counter top. Taste it, and add salt to your taste, and stir to mix through.
8. Lightly oil your hands. Use the oiled teaspoon to scoop the mixture into your hands and roll into small balls. If it doesn’t stick together, add another tablespoon of peanut butter at a time and mix until the consistency holds together.
9. Refrigerate until snack time strikes! Delightful 🙂

Check out my blog for more recipes! Kids love these PB balls and you can feel good about giving them this quick, homemade snack food.