No-bake Power Balls

Eating whole grains don’t just boost your fibre intake, they deliver antioxidants and vitamins E and B. Mix and match your favourite nuts, seeds and dried fruits. If you have kids at home, they’ll love mixing the ingredients together and helping roll the mixture into balls. Pairing food prep and a project for the kids is the ultimate in multitasking for mamas.

Ingredients

1 cup (250 ml) quick oats
5 plain brown rice cakes, crumbled, or 3 cups puffed wheat
1 cup (250 ml) chopped dried fruit (such as apricots, cranberries, raisins, figs, dates, prunes)
1 cup chopped nuts and seeds (such as pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pumpkin, sunflower, sesame or flax seeds)
pinch salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) cocoa
1/2 cup (125 ml) peanut, almond or other nut butter
1/2 cup (125 ml) honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk, soy milk or almond milk

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss together the oats, rice cakes, dried fruit, seeds and salt.

2. In a small saucepan, stir together the cocoa, peanut butter and honey over medium heat. Cook until melted and smooth, stirring often. (Alternatively, do this in a glass bowl in the microwave.) Remove from the heat and stir in the milk until smooth.

3. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then shape into balls about the size of a plum.

Store extras covered, at room temperature.

Makes about 18 balls.

Per Ball

190 calories, 8.6 g fat (1.8 g saturated, 3.1 g monounsaturated, 3.8 g polyunsaturated), 6.8 g protein, 24.5 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.8 g fibre