Do you have any secret food indulgences? Something you eat when no one is looking? I’m hoping that at least one person is answering yes to this question so I don’t feel like a complete food obsessed weirdo. My secret food indulgence is uncooked dough and batter. I like cookies but I LOVE cookie dough. Usually if a recipe makes 24 cookies, only 12 will make it into the oven while the rest will be eaten in spoonfuls from the mixing bowl.
My obsession isn’t limited to cookie dough, I also love cake batter, especially banana bread with big lumps of banana. I was so excited when I came up with this recipe for banana bread energy balls because they taste exactly like banana bread (and I have finally discovered a socially acceptable way to eat batter!). I keep a batch of these in a container in the freezer and have one or two as a snack before going to the gym or after dinner to satisfy a sweet tooth.
These energy balls not only taste delicious but are also good for you. Bananas have an endless list of health benefits, they aid digestion, stimulate the growth of good bacteria in the gut and are credited with the ability to lower blood pressure and protect against heart attack and stroke. Another ingredient in these balls is walnuts which support brain health, help with weight management, fight heart disease and strengthen hair growth. Keep these facts in mind when you are sneaking your fourth or fifth energy ball from the freezer, and feel the guilt melt away. Happy snacking!
*If you find the batter to be too sticky, grind up an additional 1/4 of a cup of walnuts and roll the balls in the walnuts until they are coated in crumbs.
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Banana Bread Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups dried unsweetened banana chips *
- 1/4 cup dates
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup walnuts
Instructions
- If your banana chips are quite chewy, soak them in water for a few minutes to soften them up
- Place the banana chips and dates in a food processor and blend for 2-3 minutes until they have broken down into small bits.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and continue to blend until a batter is formed and there are no large chunks remaining
- Scoop out tablespoon sized amounts of the mixture and roll into balls. This mixture is quite sticky so you may need to wet your hands in between rolling. If the mixture is too sticky, grind up a quarter of a cup of walnuts and roll the balls in the walnut crumbs until they are completely coated
- Store the balls in a container in the freezer for up to a month. They are best enjoyed straight from the freezer.
Notes
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
Would you by chance be able to give me the nutritional values for these yummy bites? I’m on WW and have to stay within my smart points. The points are calculated by calories, saturated fat, sugar and protein.
Thanks
Hi Jess, there are approximately 30 calories per ball, 1.2g of sugar, 0.2g saturated fat and 1g of protein. Good luck with weight watchers!!
when I made them- each batch got 10 balls (larger than the recipe calls for I believe) and each ball was 5 points.
you should be able to log on and create a recipe with all the ingredients listed and the website calculates everything for you.
hope this helps!!!
Thanks for sharing that info Adele, they must have been quite big balls, I try to get between 20 and 25 per batch.
Can you use the bananas without making them into chips?
Do you happen to know how much Protein, Fat, and Carbs would be in each ball if I followed the recipe and made 25?
I would like to try these recipes for my daughter who is diabetic and has to have a snack every day between breakfast and lunch, How ever that snack needs to be 20 carbs. Is there any way you can tell me how many carbs per ball?
Hi Tisha, it depends on the size of the balls. If you make 25 balls from this recipe there is roughly 5.5g of carbs per ball. So 4 balls should work well as a snack for your daughter
These are amazing! A guilt free treat that fills your Banana Bread craving 🙂
I’ve been browsing through your website and loving it! I started SCD a couple months ago and you have so many great recipes on here for me! And to answer your secret indulgence question, almond butter. Definitely almond butter. I can eat it by the spoonful right out of the jar. Just something about it beckons me daily, ha ha! In fact, I’m eating some right now!
Hi Sarah, I hope your first few months on the diet have gone ok, it definitely takes a bit of time to get used to. I know what you mean about almond butter, i’m addicted to hazelnut butter, I start with just a spoonful and before you know it the jar is empty!
Any idea what to replace the dates with? Would raisins work??
You can replace the dates with raisins although you may need to add a touch more honey to compensate for the extra moisture dates provide
Hi, trying to be nut free as my son’s kindergarten has a child with major nut problems so what could I use instead of walnuts in this recipe please.
Hi Elza, if you are ok with eating grains then oats would be a great substitute for the walnuts.
can you add protein powder to this?
I don’t use protein powder but I’m sure it would work well in these balls. Let me know how much you add, I imagine it might be helpful to others.
Wow! Looks so yummy. Will definitely try these!
Found these on the runners world website, what can i say but amazing. Such a great snack for those longer training sessions. Much better than the so called ‘healthy’ options sold in health food shops