Easy no bake carrot cake balls - a healthy snack for the family.

I don’t know about you guys, but after only one week back in the real world of routine and school not even started yet, I already have lunchbox dread and fatigue. Particularly, when it comes to organising snacks for my little ones even when we are home for the day. It is hard finding easy kid and toddler recipe ideas that don’t take forever to make. It's even harder to find ones that don't require a separate trip to the shops. Which lets be honest, most of us don’t have the energy to do. This is why I love the easy no bake carrot cake balls.

It was only when I was cleaning out my kitchen cupboards (I’m 30 weeks and nesting like crazy) that I remembered an old recipe I found in a Woolworths magazine. With many families getting ready to get back into routine whether it is day care, school, partner back at work or days home with the kids, I wanted to share with you our own adapted version. So here it is, our No Bake – Carrot Cake Balls. If you are looking for a quick and easy snack idea that is also healthy for the whole family, this is it.

Ingredients:

2x medium carrot grated
10-12 pitted dates
Cinnamon (can use any spices of your choice – try ginger, nutmeg or all spice for variety)
Coconut (desiccated) ½ cup for mixture – extra for coating
 

Method: Easy no bake carrot cake balls

1. Make sure your dates are moist – if they aren’t soft and squishy you’ll need to soak them in boiling water for 15 mins prior to starting.
2. Process dates, cinnamon and coconut together in the food processor until dates fully are chopped (I use a ninja bullet because I’m lazy and its always out but it doesn't work as well).
3.  Add grated carrot and process until all the ingredients are mixed.
4.  Roll mixture into evenly sized balls – I like to make mine extra large.
5.  Coat the balls with desiccated coconut. Store in the fridge.

Some extra things to note:

✖     I make our balls extra-large so our two year old can’t fit them in his mouth without biting and chewing to reduce risk of choking. Another option if serving to young children is to chop the balls into small pieces before serving.
✖    Don’t have dates in the cupboard? I’ve also given this a go with prunes (my kids love them) and with apricots. Both work well but you may have to play with consistency and pre-soak the fruit.
✖   If they aren’t rolling into a nice ball, add a spoon of coconut oil if its too dry and crumbly, or coconut/almond flour if it’s too wet…