When we first started the transition to lower glutamate foods, these energy balls became a staple in our house. They were easy to travel with, served as a great accompaniment to a smoothie for breakfast, worked in lunchboxes, and also made a nice treat after dinner. With time the recipe morphed because these easy energy balls acted as a great vessel to hide dried herbs in. Please don’t be afraid to adapt this recipe, add new ingredients, and increase the nutritional density of these little treats.
Ingredients
2 cup. Gluten-Free Oatmeal
1 cup. Unsweetened Nut or Seed Butter (raw is preferred)
2/3 cup. Raw Honey (we often do 1/2 cup of honey or less, but know those just starting out may need for these to be a bit sweeter)
2 cup. Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (watch for additives)
1/2 cup. Ground Flaxseed
1 cup. Clean Chocolate Chips (Raisins or Goji Berries also work great)
1.5 tbsp. Ground Milk Thistle (this is completely optional as so may not tolerate it. You may also sneak in some other mild herbs like nettle or passionflower)
3 tsp. Vanilla Extract (clean or homemade)
1 pinch Himalayan or Sea Salt
Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl stir together all ingredients until well combined. Using your hands, roll small balls (approximately 1/2-1″ diameter) of the mixture until compact and smooth. Place balls in an airtight container and refrigerate until serving.
Tidbits
Have a lot of food sensitivities? If using nut butter these easy energy balls can be high in oxalate, dried fruit, and coconut high in phenols/salicylate, and overall can feed yeast. Since I’m already listing disclaimers, chocolate can be problematic for some as it is high in oxalate, histamine, phenol, and glutamate (to a lesser extent). Sourcing raw ingredients is always preferred. I don’t want to scare anyone too much but know that we have multiple families struggling with several food sensitivities and feel compelled to share some of the disclaimers.
Instructions