Years ago a friend introduced me to the healthy deliciousness of Bliss Balls and they have been a staple in my fridge ever since. They're such a great, healthy snack to have on hand and they don't even taste healthy! Plus you can make them in so many different flavours and variations. My go-to flavour is always Choc Date & Nuts, but the possibilities are endless. Carrot Cake, Protein Balls, Choc Mint, Peanut Butter, just let your imagination and taste buds lead the way. They are super simple to make so you can get them done quickly if you're short on time. Or get the kids to help for a fun after-school activity.My recipe has changed over the years depending on where I am and what ingredients I have available to me. But the gist is basically the same. So here is the latest version of my all-time favourite Choc Date & Nut Bliss Balls. Enjoy!

Choc Date and Nut Bliss Balls

The yummiest healthy treat to have on hand for any snacking situation! Made from all-natural ingredients and super easy to make.

• 1 cup soft dates (pitted)

• 1 cup walnuts

• ½ cup cashews

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• ½ tbsp hemp seeds

• 1 ½ tbsp cocoa

• 1 tsp vanilla powder (or extract/essence or any other flavour that floats your boat!)

• 1 tsp coconut oil

• ¼ cup shredded coconut (for coating)

1. First, get all your ingredients prepared. This recipe really takes no time at all, so having everything ready to go makes it even more simple.

2. Place your dates and nuts in a food processor and pulse until just combined. Then add your seeds, cocoa and vanilla powder and mix until combined.

3. Check the consistency. It should be a nice sticky crumble. *See notes. If it's still a little dry then start to add the coconut oil a little at a time. Depending on the dates and nuts that you're using you may not need much or any oil. When I was living in Australia I always used Macadamia nuts, as they are quite oily I never added oil.

4. Once you have achieved your desired consistency you can start to roll the mixture into balls with your hands and then cover them in the shredded coconut. Done!!

* The consistency should be sticky enough to easily roll into a ball and hold it's shape. If it's too dry it will crumble and fall apart, but if it's too wet it will lose it's shape.

Keep your Bliss Balls in the fridge, they hold their shape better this way and are delicious to snack on cold. I'd say they would last up to about a week in the fridge, but mine always seem to vanish within a couple of days.

As I said the possibilities are endless. Even with this basic recipe, you can change the nuts and seeds to anything that you like. You could also combine the coconut in with the mixture and roll the balls in Cocoa Nibs or other types of seeds instead. If you are looking for something a little more filling you could even add oats to the mixture. Experiment and have fun with your creations. It such a great way to have yummy and healthy snacks on hand and you can rest easy knowing exactly what is inside each one.I'd love to see your versions of these healthy homemade Bliss Balls. So make sure you tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #snacksbynowjess so I can see them :)

I'll be sharing more of my kitchen adventures in upcoming blogs so stay tuned. Not all of them always go to plan though, check out my Homemade Fruit Roll Up Fail!

Cheers, Jess