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By Kate Percy

Christmas superfood energy balls

Mmmmm… Christmas food. Sausage rolls, canapés, mulled wine, brandy butter… Let’s face it; life’s too short for even the most dedicated athlete to turn down the odd mince pie or Great Aunt Bessie’s Christmas trifle. But with Christmas fever starting earlier each year, getting the balance right can be an uphill struggle. Take shop-bought mince pies; packed with sat fat and at 250 calories each. One is fine, but they’re so moreish!

Surprise your friends with these amazingly delicious ‘no-cook’ Christmas energy balls; they make a fab ‘superfood’ alternative. Rich in heart-friendly unsat fats, dietary fibre, vitamins and essential minerals such as potassium, they’ll revitalise the body and sustain you through your yuletide running!

 

Nutrition per ball

Energy (kcal) 73               Carbohydrate (g)13 (of which sugars (g) 9)

Protein (g) 1                      Fat (g) 2 (of which saturates (g) 0.5)

Salt (g) trace                      Fibre (g) 1

 

Ingredients to make 15-20 balls

40g walnuts or pecan nuts

120g dates

160g mincemeat

80g porridge oats

1 tsp mixed spice

25g ground almonds

Zest of one orange, finely grated

2 tsp coconut oil

100g icing sugar

Juice of ½ lime

 

Preparation

  1. Place the nuts in a food processor and blitz until roughly chopped. Add the dates and blitz again, until the mixture starts to stick together. You can do this by hand if you prefer, by chopping the nuts and dates as finely as possible with a sharp knife.
  2. Add the mincemeat, porridge oats, mixed spice, ground almonds, orange zest and the coconut oil and blitz again, very briefly, until combined.
  3. Roll into small balls in the palm of your hands, about 1 ½ cm in diameter.
  4. Pour the icing sugar into a clean bowl and beat in the lime juice until smooth. Spoon the icing over the energy balls and decorate with your favourite Christmas cake decorations!

Recipe courtesy of Kate Percy’s Go Faster Food. For more delicious, superfood recipes to power your active lifestyle, follow Kate Percy @gofasterfood on twitter or subscribe to www.gofasterfood.com. Signed copies of Kate Percy’s Go Faster Food books are available on her website, or go to amazon.co.uk.