I’m on a mission to reduce my family’s grocery budget. Our “better than” snacks are the worst offender, I believe. Organic, simple ingredient, sugar-free snacks are a great choice, but they’re not cheap. I’ve decided to make some of our snacks each week so that I can (hopefully) decrease the money that I’m spending on pre-packaged food. This recipe was my first go at no-bake oat balls. I’m sure there are a million different flavors and combinations that can be used with a similar base. I intend to play around with the flavors in this snack. But for a first try, we greatly enjoyed these cherry orange no-bake oat balls. They’re my new snack obsession.
CHOOSE “BETTER THAN” INGREDIENTS WHEN YOU CAN
Conventional rolled oats generally carry a high glyphosate load. This is because farmers will heavily spray the oat plants with glyphosate to dry them out before harvest. (This may be changing in the industry.) For this reason, I always look for organic rolled oats. This particular brand even labels itself glyphosate free. I find that the price fluctuates with these oats (sometimes wildly). I purchase when the price is around $10 for a five pound bag. These are also generally in stock (at a stable price) at Whole Foods.
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Regarding dried fruit, like cherries or raisins, I also choose an organic option when I’m able to find it at a reasonable price. Both cherries and raisins are consistently on EWG’s Dirty Dozen list. I can’t afford to purchase everything organic, but I do allow this list to direct my choices.
Real food made with minimal ingredients at home will always be better than anything that is mass produced. I try to do the best I can when it comes to sourcing clean, “better than” ingredients, but I also know that even when I can’t afford to purchase the best, I’m still nourishing my family with real food choices.
PERSONAL PREFERENCE
I like the zest of orange juice. I like that way it plays with the sweet tang of dried cherries. My son claims that he likes my sister-in law’s no-bake peanut butter balls better than these…but he devoured a ton of these, none-the-less. I’m not a huge fan of peanut butter, so I prefer the tanginess of these oat balls, I think. No matter one’s personal preference, I think a snack like these no-bake oat balls is a great alternative to store bought granola bars or other snack bars.
STORAGE
These no-bake oat balls store well in the refrigerator. I keep them on a pan or plate and lightly cover them in a towel or wrap. I’ve seen similar recipes say they can be frozen, but we seem to eat ours too fast for that. In fact, I plan to double or triple this recipe next time. I would like a snack to last through the week, but as written, this lasted my family of three only two days.
If you like this snack recipe, check out this easy recipe for homemade sugar free jello.
Cherry Orange No-Bake Oat Balls – Your New Snack Obsession
Ingredients
- 5 large pitted dates
- 1/2 c boiling water
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 c dried cherries
- 1/4 c chopped pecans or almonds
- 1 c rolled oats
- Sprinkle of sea salt
- Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, soak the dates in boiling water. This will soften the dates by adding moisture to the dried fruit. After soaking for about ten minutes, drain the water and place the dates in a blender or food processor.
- Add the almond butter, orange juice, maple syrup, and vanilla to the dates. Lightly blend this mixture into a paste.
- After blending, scrape the wet mixture into a mixing bowl. To this bowl, add the chia seeds, dried cherries, the chopped pecans or almonds, and the rolled oats. Sprinkle with sea salt and a bit of cinnamon (if desired). Stir to combine.
- Before trying to form the oat balls, I find that it helps to refrigerate the mixture for 5-10 minutes. This will allow the chia seeds to expand and act like glue to hold everything together. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it’s a little less messy if you wait. When ready, roll the mixture by hand, or use a melon baller to help shape the oat balls. I find that a firm pressure helps the final product to hold its shape. I roll the oat mixture into roughly one inch balls.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy!
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