These carrot cake balls, from nutritionist Christal Sczebel’s new book Energy Balls, are packed with ingredients to speed muscle recovery and help you get back on your feet post-workout. They’re perfectly portable and ready for your gym bag, and—perhaps most importantly—they taste just like carrot cake!
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These carrot cake balls help to increase energy levels for optimal mental and physical performance. They contain almonds, walnuts, raisins, dried pineapple, dates, shredded carrot, coconut, and those classic carrot cake spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. These ingredients bring vitamins A, C, and E—powerful antioxidants that aid immune function and exercise recovery time—as well as minerals that support muscle and bone health. The icing is the perfect finishing touch as it is loaded with protein for performance and a delicious vanilla flavor!
Carrot Cake Energy Balls
Makes 12 balls
Ingredients
- ¾ cup [90 g] almond meal or ground almonds
- ½ cup [85 g] pitted dates
- ¼ cup [70 g] dark raisins
- ¼ cup [45 g] dried unsweetened pineapple
- ¼ cup [30 g] raw walnut halves
- 1 cup [90 g] shredded carrots
- ½ cup [40 g] shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
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For the icing (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder of choice
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- ⅓ teaspoon melted coconut oil
- 1 drop pure vanilla extract
Method
- In a food processor, combine the almond meal, dates, raisins, dried pineapple, walnuts, and 1 tablespoon water and process for 1 minute until everything is incorporated. Add the carrots, shredded coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom, and process for 1 to 2 minutes until a sticky mass forms.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop the mixture and, with clean slightly wet hands, shape the mixture into a ball between your palms, and set on a plate. Repeat with the remaining mixture until you have 12 balls, each just smaller than a golf ball. Place the balls in the freezer. Continue to the next steps if you're icing the balls (optional).
- Meanwhile, place the protein powder in a small bowl and pour in the almond milk, coconut oil, and vanilla extract, stirring continuously until the icing is the consistency of heavy cream.
- Remove the balls from the freezer and spoon icing onto the top of each one; it will run slightly but should not run off the balls. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on the top of each ball and return to the freezer for 1 hour to set. Store in the freezer until required (the icing will become soft if stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature).
Excerpted with permission from Energy Balls.
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Liz Moody is an author, blogger and recipe developer living in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated with a creative writing and psychology degree from The University of California, Berkeley. Moody has written two cookbooks: Healthier Together: Recipes for Two—Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships and Glow Pops: Super-Easy Superfood Recipes to Help You Look and Feel Your Best. She also hosts the Healthier Together Podcast, where she chats with notable chefs, nutritionists, and best-selling authors about their paths to success. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Glamour, Food & Wine & Women’s Health.