Back to School Bliss Balls

Happy Australia Day! I hope you are celebrating the day with friends and family! We live in such a beautiful amazing country with stunning beaches, glorious weather, heavenly food and a community who love and support one another ... free to speak, vote, worship and live.  

A big congratulations to those on the Australian of the Years Honour Roll.  Four Australian women who have worked to help those in domestic violence situations, with literacy and learning difficulties, the deaf and poor. Well deserved and truly inspirational. 
Australian of the Year 2015 Rosie Batty - Domestic Violence Campaigner
Senior Australian of the Year 2015 Jackie French - Author 
Young Australian of the Year 2015 Drisana Levitzke-Gray - Deaf advocate
Australia's Local Hero 2015 Juliette Wright - Social entrepreneur

Australian of the Year (Rosie Batty), Senior Australian of the Year (Jackie French), Young Australian of the Year (Drisana Levitzke-Gray), Australia's Local Hero 2015 (Juliette Wright).

Australia Day also marks the last day of the school holidays for us.  Back to school tomorrow which brings its own excitement and anticipation for the year ahead.

Here is a quick and easy recipe that is healthy for school lunch boxes. I'm jumping on the "bliss ball" bandwagon that has been so popular in the last year.  Here is a version that hopefully the kids will happily eat, looks like a lamington ball but is packed with healthy goodness. We made 25 bliss balls with this recipe.

---

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates
1 cup almonds
1/3 cup cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 cup shredded coconut (or desiccated)
1/3 cup chia seeds

---

Equipment

Spatula
Sieve
Large plate
Thermomix or Food processor

---

Method
1. Cover the dates with tap water and soak for 15 minutes.
2. Pour the dates into the sieve to drain off the water.
3. Place the almonds, cocoa, coconut oil, 1/2 cup shredded coconut and chia seeds into the Thermomix (or food processor).
4. In the Thermomix blitz for 20 seconds on speed 7 (or blitz in the food processor until all combined).
5. Scrape down the sides of the Thermomix (or food processor) with a spatula.
6. Add dates to the mixture. 
7. In the Thermomix blitz for 10 seconds on speed 7 (or blitz in the food processor until the dates are incorporated).
8. Place 1/2 cup of shredded coconut on a plate.
9. Roll the mixture into balls.
10. Cover the balls with coconut.
11. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat.

Your kids will love measuring, pouring scraping and rolling to make this recipe.  You may find it easier to tip out the finished mixture prior to rolling it into balls avoiding those sharp blades. 

Mr 4 enjoyed helping with all aspects of this recipe, although operating the Thermomix was a little difficult for him.   He especially enjoyed rolling the balls in the coconut! 

Note: Don't forget to check if you have a "nut free policy" at school! You may have to keep these for afternoon tea if you do!

How are you feeling about the start of the new school year? 

What do your kids like in their lunchbox?

You may also like...