If you’re looking for a healthy sweet snack, you should give these Quinoa Muesli Date Plum Energy Truffle Balls a try – they are packed with whole grains, nuts and seeds, and naturally sweetened with dried dates, dried plums and honey, plus they’re gluten-free.
Finding a good gluten-free protein bar or energy bar in the supermarket can be challenging, but you can easily make your own custom ones at home.
I made these little energy balls a little while ago when I was playing around with some gluten-free Muesli that Bob’s Red Mill sent me. You might recall I made Gluten-Free Muesli Pancakes with my own cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and Muesli. Muesli is traditionally a mix of oats, nuts, seeds, coconut and dried fruit, making it the perfect starter mix when creating your own protein bars or energy balls.
Energy Balls before being coated with chocolate and cocoa
To bump up the protein in my energy balls, I added some toasted quinoa. And to get all the ingredients to stick together, I processed some dried dates and plums (be sure they are moist) and mixed in a little honey. These little energy balls are not overly sweet, but they’ll satisfy your sweet tooth in the middle of the afternoon or after dinner.
If you’re feeling extra decadent, try dipping these in melted dark chocolate and cocoa (I recommend using a high quality chocolate and cocoa powder such as Valrhona’s, the same kind I used when I learned how to make Cocoa Dusted Almonds from Chef Caryn Stabinsky).
Think of it as a healthy truffle.
Quinoa Muesli Date Plum Energy Truffle Balls
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1 cup Muesli
- 1/4 cup oats
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 3/4 cup dried dates pitted (make sure they are moist and not dried out)
- 1/4 cup dried plums
- 1/4 cup nut or seed butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips melted
- cocoa for dusting
Instructions
- Toast quinoa in a small skillet until you start hearing popping.
- Place all ingredients (including toasted quinoa) in a food processor. Process until dates are finely chopped and everything is mixed together well. If mixture seems dry, add a little more nut butter and/or honey. Mixture should just stick together when you squeeze a spoonful of it in your hands.
- Make balls out of mixture, using about one tablespoon per ball, squeezing mixture together and rolling it between the palms of your hands.
- Dip in melted chocolate and roll in cocoa to make truffle balls.
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Covered in that gorgeous cocoa, these just look like pure decadent chocolate to me! You’d never know they are so darn healthy! Thanks for sharing, Jeanette.
love these!
I need to try these as a pre-workout snack! Especially since I just bought a big container of dried plums and need ideas to use them up!
I can’t believe these are truffles with quinoa. How awesome is that???
Love quinoa! Great-looking snack!
I love the idea of adding quinoa to energy balls. These look so tasty!
They look absolutely delicious. A great, healthy way to finish off a meal!
Thanks Kathryn – these little truffle balls are a guiltless treat 😉
This has quinoa too?!? I need some, right about now!!
I’m always looking for ways to use quinoa – I toasted the quinoa first to get rid of the bitter taste.
I love quinoa, these look great. Beautiful pictures too 🙂
oh wow. Those look absolutely sinful, yet they aren’t. That’s awesome.
I’ve always wanted to try to make energy balls, these sound amazing Jeanette!
Thanks Aggie – these are actually really filling – enjoy!