Pina Colada Energy Balls

Life with 4 kids has definitely been interesting, especially when it comes to food. Learning the preferences of Kendall and Kayden when it comes to what we have for dinner, figuring out what to make that everyone (or at least the majority of the people in our family) are happy with, how much to make, how much to buy (!!!), and of course…after school snacks!

Everyone seems to come home from school ready to inhale half the contents of the fridge. Logan has flag football practice twice a week. Madeline walks about a mile home from school most afternoons and has rock climbing Mondays. And Kendall has cross country practice every day after school. (Kayden has soccer, too, but his practices are on the days he’s with his mom)

So, between sports, all the running around to and from the nearby park after school, and dinner being a little bit later now that Kevin has a longer commute, none of the kids are making it to dinner without at least one snack.

I’m totally a fan of after school snacks, after sports practice snacks and even snacks because something sounds yummy…as long as it doesn’t make dinnertime a problem later.

Feeding 4 kids can be challenging enough that I definitely prefer not to have challenges at the dinner table because people filled up on junk an hour before food was ready. Moms, am I right?

That is where healthy snacking come in. We do a lot of fruits because that’s easy; the kids are all fans of my Kale Chips and healthy dips like Hummus and Guacamole. But what about when they’re craving something a little different? Something sweet, something kind of like a granola bar or chewy like a cookie?

These Pina Colada Energy Balls are the perfect solution! Energy Balls are chewy and sweet thanks to the dates and dried pineapple.

They have a nice boost of of healthy fat (thank you, coconut oil and your many uses) and Fisher Nuts delicious preservative-free nuts. The chia seeds and almonds both provide fiber and plant-based protein.

All in all I would say that makes these Pina Colada Energy Balls a successful recipe for an after school snack idea. The truth is, the kids aren’t the only ones who like these healthy, sweet treats.

Kevin surprised himself with how much he liked them, and even went on to tell me that I shouldn’t tell him what’s in them because he didn’t want to change his mind.

All he knew was that I called them Energy Balls and they were Pina Colada flavored and contained Fisher Nuts Sliced Almonds, because he knew I was creating this recipe for the blog.

He and I definitely kept munching on our stash in the fridge while we were finishing up the last few days of our move a few weeks ago. They were a great grab and go snack that provided instant fuel…and were so much better than reaching for a handful of chips or something else comparable.

How to Make Pina Colada Energy Balls

Also, did I mention how EASY Energy balls are to make? There is chopping and no baking required. Very little measuring since there are just a handful of ingredients.

Mostly you’ll just be processing the mixture in a food processor until it becomes basically the consistency of thick cookie dough before you roll them into balls.

For an extra boost of coconut, you can try using toasted coconut that you’ll use to roll the outside of the ball with.

Don’t know how to toast coconut? Check out this post: Learn how to toast coconut flakes in 3 different ways (they’re all super easy!), how to store toasted coconut, how long toasted coconut lasts, and the many different ways you can use this fun, tasty ingredient!

More Healthy Snacks Featuring Fisher Nuts

Here are a few of my favorite nut-based snacks. For more snacking ideas check out these 10 Snacks that Take 5 Minutes or Less!

Salted Vanilla Maple Nut and Seed Clusters are a yummy sweet and salty snack.

Red, White, and Blue Berry Almond Frozen Yogurt Bites are a simple and healthy after school treat that you can keep in your freezer.

Sweet and Spicy Rosemary Bar Nuts are great when you are craving something savory.

For something chocolate, try these Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Energy Balls.

Pina Colada Energy Balls

Yield: approximately 2 dozen, depending on the size of the balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Pina Colada Energy Balls feature a mix of protein, healthy fats, and naturally sweet pineapple, dates and coconut. Pop these bite-sized treats in your mouth for a quick snack and energy fix.

Print

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Fisher Sliced Almonds
• 1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
• 1 1/3 Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, 1/3 cup reserved for rolling
• 1 cup Dried Pineapple Chunks
• 10 Whole Pitted Dates
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• Pinch of Salt

Instructions

1. Fit the bowl of a food processor with a standard chopping blade. Add the almonds, chia seeds, and 1 cup of the unsweetened coconut to the bowl. Place the processing bowl on the food processor unit. Fit it with the lid, according to manufacturer instructions, and pulse the mixture 10 times to mix the ingredients and roughly chop them.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the almond mixture (the pineapple, dates, coconut oil, and salt. Replace the lid and process for 1 minute, or until the mixture becomes the consistency of thick dough.
3. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and roll into 24 balls. Then, roll each ball in the reserved 1/3 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut to coat the outside.
4. Place the rolled balls on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
5. Store leftovers in a zip top storage bag in the refrigerator. It is now necessary to bring them to room temperature prior to serving. They taste great cold. Consume within 5 days for best results.

Notes

Feel free to substitute alternative nuts for different flavor variations according to your personal preferences!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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  Measuring Cups
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  Coconut Oil
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  Shredded Coconut
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  Black Chia Seeds
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  Baking Sheet
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  Food Processor

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 52Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 6mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this?

I’d love it if you let me know what you think! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram at @goodlifeeats with the hashtag #goodlifeeatsrecipes so I can see what you’re cooking up in your kitchen!

I choose to work with Fisher Nuts because it is one of the only brands of recipe nuts entirely without preservatives. I have been compensated for my time in making these Pina Colada Energy Balls, but all opinions are my own.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher. The opinions and text are all mine.