Spicy Cacao Latte Energy Balls
San Fransisco Fleet week was celebrated in October. Before we headed out with friends to watch the aerial stunts and aerobatics by the Blue angels fleet, I was going through our snacks stash in the pantry. That moment hits and a sudden urge to create a new recipe, satisfy my hot chocolate and Espresso shot cravings along with some spicy and warm flavored snack (drooling and thinking about the Pumpkin spiced Mall Pretzels). I gathered all my ingredients and in about 15 mins tasty spicy cacao latte energy balls were ready to go.
Here's the Ingredients and recipe for you all!
Ingredients
Oats - 1 cup (rolled oats, optionally could be to ground into Oats flour)
Dates - 6 (pitted medjool dates, more if required)
Almonds - 1/2 cup
Walnuts - 1/2 cup
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp (or any other flavorless oil, optional)
Cacao powder - 3 tbsp
Espresso powder - 2 tsp (any instant coffee powder of choice)
Maple syrup - 3 tbsp (or any sweetener of choice, add more or less as per taste)
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Coffee flavor essence - 1 tsp (optional
Chia seeds - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon powder - 2 tsp
Clove powder - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Sea salt - a pinch
Method
1. In a blender or food processor, add all the dry ingredients (almonds, walnuts, dates, chia seeds, espresso powder, cacao powder, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder and sea salt) except the rolled oats and blend well.
2. Mix in all the wet ingredients - Maple syrup, coconut oil, Vanilla essence. and add into the blender and blend until incorporated.
3. Add rolled oats or oats flour and pulse the mixture a few times.
2. Transfer the blended mixture into a big mixing bowl.
3. Take a bite size of mixture into your palm and roll them into energy balls. Great for snacking or as a breakfast on the go and these also serve as a wonderful pre-workout and post-workout snack. Enjoy.
PS - Extra spiced cacao latte energy balls can be kept in the refrigerator for about a week. And can stay a day or 2 maximum outside in a room temperature.
Alternatively, when you don't have all those long list of spices and only have cinnamon or all spice blend, you may use only that. The result may only change very slightly. Enjoy your version of Spicy cacao latte balls. Tag me on Instagram with your creations.