“Vegan dates balls” is one of the my signature “desserts” . I have hard time calling it dessert because it is so simple and it is packed with so much wholesome goodness that it can easily be considered energy ball . I am often asked for a recipe by family & friends ,and I smile because there is no real recipe ,the superstar here is the dates ! You can make it as basic as simply blending the dates ,forming it into balls and rolling them in shredded coconuts and voila that’s your amazingly satisfying dessert.
Some facts on dates :Health Benefits
Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, which is grown in many tropical regions of the world. Dates have become quite popular in recent years. They are also high in some important nutrients and have a variety of advantages and uses. Below are some of its benefits:
- High in antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that can protect the body from inflammation.
- Excellent natural sweetener. Dates can satisfy a person’s sweet tooth while also providing essential nutrients, such as vitamin B-6 and iron.
- High in fiber. Fiber helps a person feel fuller for longer.
- Great for substitutions. People can replace the sugar, chocolate chips, or candies in baking recipes with dates to ensure they are eating natural sugars instead of refined sugars.
Nutritional Info for Dates
The following is the nutritional information for one average-sized Deglet Noor date:
- calories: 20
- total fat: 0.03 grams (g)
- total carbohydrates: 5.33 g
- dietary fiber: 0.6 g
- sugar: 4.5 g
- protein: 0.17 g
- vitamin B-6: 0.012 milligrams (mg)
- iron: 0.07 mg
- magnesium: 3 mg
- potassium: 47 mg
Ingredients for Vegan Date Balls:
- 2 cups of dates
- 1 cup of nuts(almonds/pecans/peanuts/cashews)
- 1 table spoon of coconut oil(or peanut butter)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 tea spoon chia seeds (optional)
- 1 tea spoon roasted flax seeds (optional)
- 1/2 tea spoon cocoa powder (optional)
- ¼ cup desiccated coconut
Instructions:
- Soak your dates in hot water until they soften (about 5 minutes).Then drain them .
- Place the drained dates ,the coconut oil ,sea salt ,chia seeds, flax seeds, cocoa powder in the bowl of a large food processor. Blend on high until a paste is formed .Add the nuts and pulse a few times .I personally like the nuts in larger pieces and the texture more crunchy. For smoother texture blend the nuts with the dates to a smooth dough.
- Scrap the paste from the food processor making one giant ball and put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- Use the 2-3 teaspoons of the dough to make little balls ,and then roll them into desiccated or shredded coconut . Makes about 20 vegan date balls.
- You can store them in the freezer for a few weeks ,that is if it lasts !
English 
Armenian