Fig & Apple Oat Balls
Grabbing a quick snack is easy with this fig and apple oat ball recipe.
Apple and fig is a lovely combination that is mild and sweet. Thanks to the fresh apple used in these, the flavours are bright and crisp. However, you do need to watch how many of these yummy little bites you eat. Though these are low in calories and fat, the sugars in dried figs are concentrated, so that carb count can be a bit high.
If you don't have any dried figs on hand, an alternate ingredient are dates. Swap the 4 dried figs with 10 Medjool dates (pitted of course).
Because I prefer to use a fresh apple instead of applesauce, these little bites won't last more than a few days in the refrigerator. The lemon juice is key as it will help keep the fresh apple from browning too quickly.
I tend to keep these in the freezer in an airtight container. When I want a few, I either thaw a couple overnight in the refrigerator, or leave them covered on the counter for about 15 minutes.
TIP: This calls for a fresh apple. If you don't have an apple, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce will also work, however the balls may be stickier. To remedy this, add additional oats as needed.
TIP: Give them a light coating of coconut, macha, or other flavouring to help keep the balls from sticking and to add additional flavours.
Ingredients
(Makes 20 servings | Serving size = 1 ball)
1 red apple, peeled, cored and puréed
4 dried figs, chopped
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon ground ginger (or cinnamon)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or silicone mat and set aside.
Add the apple to a food processor and pulse until the apple is puréed. Add the remaining ingredients into the food processor and blend until the mixture turns into a rough dough-like consistency.
With a small cookie scoop, or spoon, scoop the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on the sheet pan, cover with clingwrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Once the balls are chilled, roll between clean palms to smooth them out. At this stage you can optionally roll the balls in coconut to give them a coating (see tips). Store the balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy whenever you need a snack.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 45 | total fat = 1.71g | saturated fat = 0.17g | cholesterol = 0mg | sodium = 0.45mg | net carbohydrates = 5.1g | dietary fibre = 1.43g | sugars = 2g | protein = 1.3g
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