Three easy recipes for Bliss Balls (Chocolate, Espresso and Strawberry), offering a healthy alternative to snacking. Each energy ball is Sirt Diet friendly and all are gluten free and vegan.
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Chocolate, Espresso or Strawberry… Bliss Balls 3 ways
When you want an easy, speedy, healthy sweet snack, it’s always good to have guilt-free Bliss Balls at the ready. And in this post, I’m going to share 3 versions… All gluten free, vegan and completely natural.
You may recall a recent blog post that talked about my foray into the Sirtfood Diet, which I use as a bit of detox. As part of that diet, there is an option for healthy snacking in the form of Sirt Bites. These are energy balls made with ingredients that are Sirt Diet friendly. They are easy to make (as long as you have access to a robust blender) and kept in the fridge, they are ready for those moments when ‘sweetness’ calls.
The 3 versions I share here include the original Sirtfood Diet recipe for Chocolate Sirt Bites… And my two adaptations (equally Sirt-friendly) for Espresso and Strawberry Bliss Balls. I think the Espresso balls are definitely my favourite!
What are Bliss Balls?
Bliss Balls have been around for a few years now, although it’s hard to pinpoint where they started. It’s likely they were introduced and named by the raw food movement. While it’s not a movement I personally subscribe to, Bliss Balls are not only a healthier alternative to reaching for the biscuit tin, but they are also rather yummy too.
‘Bliss Balls’ is another (I think a little pretentious) name for ‘Energy Balls’… You make them (almost exclusively) with a mix of dried fruit, nuts, flavourings and spices. The ingredients are blended together, before being rolled into bite-sized balls. Then… they are coated in cocoa, nuts or something similarly dry to make them both easier to store and to handle without causing a sticky mess.
The key sticky ingredient which adds both sweetness and binding to Bliss Balls is usually either dates or figs. However, nut butter is popular too.
What do I mean by Sirtfood Diet friendly?
As mentioned above, the bliss ball recipes shared in this post are all Sirt-friendly. By that I mean they are specifically made with ingredients listed as ‘sirtfoods’ within the Sirtfood Diet literature… These are ingredients which (apparently) activate specific proteins in the body (known as ‘sirtuins’) to boost the metabolism, protect cells and reduce inflammation.
‘Sirtfoods’ are purported to be high in polyphenols and have the potential to activate the all-important ‘sirtuins’. For more information about the Sirt Diet, you can read my previous post: The Sirtfood Diet – Gluten Free Review.
Chocolate Energy Balls… The original Sirtfood Bites
Recipe 1 shared below is the original recipe for Sirtfood Bites that comes from the Sirtfood Diet book. The ingredients are as written in the book and I take no credit whatsoever for the recipe.
Sirtfood Bites are chocolate energy balls made with a combination of dates, chocolate, walnuts and cocoa powder, with added turmeric and extra virgin olive oil… Plus a touch of vanilla for additional flavour.
Espresso Bliss Balls… (Or Coffee Sirtfood Bites)
After I got a little bored with the singular dimension of chocolate Sirtfood Bites, I decided to start playing with them… Coffee is in the list of top Sirtfoods, so it seemed a logical step to add some to the mix… And with this, I created Espresso Bliss Balls.
For the greatest benefit and strongest flavour, use instant espresso powder and add this to the original mix for a slight tweak on the base recipe.
Variation on a theme… Sirtfood-friendly Strawberry Energy Balls
My third recipe is (perhaps) a little more adventurous… Strawberry Bliss Balls. A fruity version exploiting the magic Sirtfood that is strawberries, but with quite a few alterations to the original Sirt Bites recipe.
I use free-dried strawberries (a process which locks in the nutrients and intensifies the fruity flavour, but still offers a great shelf-life). But I also pair in a couple of other top Sirtfoods too… A little (optional) Matcha powder, some toasted buckwheat flakes and a drop of lemon juice. The cocoa from the original recipe is removed, although Strawberry Bliss Balls do still contain dark chocolate.
Where do I buy freeze-dried strawberries?
I use a lot of freeze-dried fruit in my baking because it offers intensity of flavour and has unique properties. But while it can be found occasionally in supermarkets, this is NOT the place to buy it… Why? Because supermarkets sell it in ridiculously small pots and at a stupidly high price!
So where can you buy freeze-dried strawberries that won’t break the bank?
I always buy mine from Healthy Supplies in the UK. They are cost-effective and can be bought in either sliced or powdered forms. Alternatively, source freeze-dried fruit and fruit powders on Amazon.
Which Bliss Balls will you choose?
The three recipes for Bliss Balls…
- Original Chocolate Sirtfood Bites
- Espresso Bliss Balls
- Strawberry Bliss Balls
…can be found below. Which will you choose? It doesn’t matter whether you are doing the Sirtfood Diet or not… They still make a super-healthy and delicious snack either way.
If you make them, let me know with a comment at the bottom. Or message me via social media (Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest).
We have a couple of other great energy ball recipes on the blog that you might like too…
- Delicious (child-friendly) Coco Banana Freeze Bites
- Healthy Energy Balls with Hazelnut & Cacao
- Supercharged Berry Energy Balls
And for everything else gluten free, we have our amazing Gluten Free Recipe Index… It’s the perfect place to start your gluten free kitchen journey.
All shared with my love, for free.
Original Sirtfood Bites (Recipe 1)
Original Chocolate Sirtfood Bites
Key equipment
- blender/food processor
- fridge
Ingredients
- 120 g walnuts
- 30 g dark chocolate 85% cocoa solids broken into pieces
- 250 g Medjool dates pitted
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 to 2 tbsp water
- optional coating : cocoa powder; or cocoa and walnut powder; or desiccated coconut.
Instructions
- Weigh the walnuts and dark chocolate into a food processor or robust blender and pulse to a fine powder.
- Add the dates, cocoa powder, turmeric, olive oil and vanilla and blend to combine into an even paste.
- Dependent on the 'wetness' of the mixture (which may depend on the moistness of the dates), add a drop of water as necessary. The paste should be thick and ‘rollable’, but not too wet.
- Roll spoonfuls of the mixture into balls using hands (it may help to wear food-safe gloves).
- Coat the balls in an (optional) dusting of extra cocoa powder; or cocoa and walnut powder; or desiccated coconut. (Put the coating into a bowl and roll the energy bites around until well-covered).
- Chill in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.
- Store for up to a week in the fridge (in an airtight container).
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Espresso Bliss Balls (Recipe 2)
Espresso Bliss Balls
Key equipment
- blender/food processor
- fridge
Ingredients
- 120 g walnuts
- 30 g dark chocolate 85% cocoa solids broken into pieces
- 250 g Medjool dates pitted
- 1 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp instant espresso coffee powder
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 to 2 tbsp water (if required… to bind)
- optional coating : cocoa powder; or cocoa and walnut powder; or desiccated coconut.
Instructions
- Weigh the walnuts and dark chocolate into a food processor or robust blender and pulse to a fine powder.
- Add the dates, cocoa powder, coffee powder, turmeric, olive oil and vanilla and blend to combine into an even paste.
- Dependent on the texture of the mixture (which may depend on the moistness of the dates), add a drop of water as necessary. The paste should be thick and ‘rollable’, but not too wet.
- Roll spoonfuls of the mixture into balls using hands (it may help to wear food-safe gloves).
- Coat the balls in an (optional) dusting of extra cocoa powder; or cocoa and walnut powder; or desiccated coconut. (Put the coating into a bowl and roll the energy bites around until well-covered).
- Chill in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.
- Store for up to a week in the fridge (in an airtight container).
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Strawberry Bliss Balls (Recipe 3)
Strawberry Bliss Balls
Key equipment
- blender/food processor
- fridge
Ingredients
- 60 g walnuts
- 15 g buckwheat flakes (toasted)
- 15 g dark chocolate 85% cocoa solids broken into pieces
- 125 g Medjool dates pitted
- 15 g freeze-dried strawberries (or freeze dried strawberry powder)
- ¾ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp matcha powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1½ tbsp water
- optional coating : freeze-dried strawberry powder; crushed walnuts; or desiccated coconut
Instructions
- If necessary, toast the buckwheat flakes either in the oven or under the grill (on a baking tray for a few minutes turning frequently to prevent burning).
- Weigh the walnuts, toasted buckwheat flakes and dark chocolate into a food processor or robust blender and pulse to a fine powder.
- Add the dates, strawberry, turmeric, matcha, vanilla, olive oil and lemon juice and blend to combine into an even paste.
- Dependent on the texture of the mixture (which may depend on the moistness of the dates), add a drop of water as necessary. The paste should be thick and ‘rollable’, but not too sticky.
- Roll spoonfuls of the mixture into balls using hands (it may help to wear food-safe gloves).
- Coat the balls in a dusting of extra freeze-dried strawberry powder; crushed walnuts; or desiccated coconut (put the coating into a bowl and roll the energy bites around until well-covered).
- Chill in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.
- Store for up to a week in the fridge (in an airtight container).
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Bliss Balls (3 Ways) shared with
- Fiesta Friday #477 with Angie and The Not So Creative Cook
- What’s for Dinner #412 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Full plate Thursday #633 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
These look so good. I’ll have to give them a try.
Thank you so much Christy. Enjoy xx
I love the espresso ones – I will keep this in mind. SO excited to make them! Thank you for sharing and for joining Fiesta Friday! Hope to see you next week!
Thanks Jhules. The Espresso ones were definitely my favourite xx
These all sound so good!! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner Party – hope your week is awesome1
Thanks Helen. You’re welcome x
Ooh, I’m all over this post. Can’t wait to find out more about the sirt diet and you’ve also got me excited about bliss balls. Although I’ve made several different types in the past, I tend to stick to the same one these days. Your espresso and strawberry sound delicious.
It’s an interesting diet Choclette. But definitely one for foodies!
As for Bliss Balls… I think these ones were super-healthy xx