Turmeric-Ginger Balls
Oh these little balls of sunshine are the perfect snack for your little ones. It’s been years since I’ve made an “energy ball” but now that I’m making snacks constantly for my little babe I wanted to create something that was both nourishing, tasty and easily portable. These fit the bill! I used to make my energy balls with dates but since I’m making them for a little eater I wanted to use something a little less sweet and something that’s better for digestion. Prunes are great for these little tummies (especially if your little one struggles with constipation) and they’re full of antioxidants. However, these balls are very forgiving and you can use prunes or dates. Or even half and half. I also used sprouted Oregon walnuts because sprouted nuts are easier on digestion as well. However, you can simply soak raw nuts overnight (or for 7 hours) and then roast them in the oven until lightly toasted. For more information on soaking nuts, grains, and seeds check out the book Nourishing Traditions. Of course, if you’re tight on time just do what you can!
These balls get their kick from ground turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. I think they’re divine and love having them on hand. I keep them stored in the fridge and usually take them out for a good 20 minutes to take the chill out before giving them to Pepper, but they’re just fine being eaten cold too.
I hope you all enjoy these little balls of sunshine as much as we do! Feel free to swap out the nuts for something local to your region or something you prefer over walnuts.
Pepper takes her sunshine balls with a glass of milk for good measure! xo
Turmeric-Ginger Balls
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes Serves: 12 balls
- 1 cup packed prunes (or half prunes half dates)
- 1 cup sprouted walnuts (hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, or almonds would also work fine)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of finely ground black pepper
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- additional turmeric for dusting (optional)
Preparation
- Soak the prunes in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Add the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor along with the spices-salt. Process until a fine meal is achieved, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the drained prunes along with the vanilla extract (if using) and process until a sticky dough forms. Transfer the mixture to the fridge for about 10 minutes to firm up a bit.
- Take little spoonfuls of the dough and roll the mixture between your palms into small, uniform balls (we get about 12 balls per batch).
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months.
Notes
*Use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. Any nut should work to replace the walnuts. If you don't have prunes dates will work just fine.
Delicious! The spices are really nice and more subtle than I expected – perfect for a toddler. Curious how yours got to be that lovely golden color? With all the prunes, mine are more of a purple-brown…
I’m so glad you enjoyed these!! We love them. As for the color, it may depend on the turmeric your using?? Ours is pungent and very bright!! But I cheated a bit and also rolled mine in extra turmeric at the end for more of a pop in color. I’m so happy you gave these a try!
Just wondering if if you ever have need to add any liquid? This gummed up my small-size processor pretty good. I added a tsp of maple syrup, but didn’t loosen things up much. Would some of the prune liquid work, or impact the final texture? I replaced nuts with sunflower seeds because that’s all I had. I think as my daughter’s a bit older than Pepper – would up the sweetness factor next time to make them a bit more enticing – but love how simple and nutritious these are.
I haven’t had issues with the dough being too sticky, but I do put it in the fridge to firm up before rolling (did you try that step?) but if that’s still an issue I think adding a touch of oil would be just fine to get the right consistency.