ENERGY BALLS TWO WAYS & VEGAN RICE PUDDING

Energy balls have got to be one of the easiest snacks to take on the go. 

This is my current go to recipe – I prefer the chocolate flavor, but thought I’d give you the strawberry option too.

ENERGY BALLS TWO WAYS

200g ground almonds

200g pitted Medjool dates

2 level tablespoons cashew butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons freeze dried strawberry powder

1.  Place the almonds, dates & cashew butter into a blender and blitz until it starts to come together in a big ball of mixture.

2.  Divide the mixture into two.

3.  Mix the cocoa powder into half the mixture and the strawberry powder into the other half.

4.  Roll into balls – will make about 8 balls

VEGAN RICE PUDDING   serves 1 – 2

This really couldn’t be simpler. It’s my current favorite breakfast – I make it the night before, leave it in the fridge in a container with a lid, & then warm it up in the morning & serve with whatever I have.  Shown here with frozen strawberries, nutmeg & Jam. 

Also good with peanut butter, Nutella, banana, cinnamon, maple syrup…………you get the picture!

2 oz  pudding rice

600ml vegan milk 

(I love walnut milk for this recipe – unusual one I know! but you can get it from Ocado if you’re interested) but anything from hazelnut milk to oat or soy will work fine).

1.  Place the rice in a saucepan with the milk.

2.  Bring the milk to the boil & then reduce to a simmer. Keep stirring it to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. 

3.  Cover the pan with a lid for 30 mins. Stir occasionally.  (to give you an idea of how high the heat needs to be- my hob goes from 1- 9 and I cook this on a 2)

4.  Take the lid off the pan. Stir well.

5.  Cook for another 60 – 90 mins, (rice varies and hobs vary!) stirring every now & then, until the rice is cooked and the consistency resembles the picture shown. 

6.  If you get near to the end of cooking time & the rice is cooked but it still seems like a very liquid consistency you need to turn the heat up a couple of notches, keep stirring until it thickens up.

7.  Once the rice pudding reaches the desired thickness, take off the hob. Either serve straight away or store in a covered container in the fridge. Gently warm it up on the hob or microwave when you’re ready to eat. Use within a couple of days.

That’s it for this month – see you in December!