Carrot Banana Granola Balls, Courtesy of Daily Bites
With my hectic schedule of travelling and lecturing across the country I find it so important to pack healthy snacks so that I don’t get into trouble with unhealthy airport food!
One of my favorite travel snacks are these energy balls from an excellent website called Daily Bites. I love these treats because they are low in refined sugar, and full of fibre and protein to help with those mid-morning cravings or afternoon slumps.
These gluten-free granola balls are packed with flavor and nutrients thanks to carrots, bananas, rolled oats, flaxseed, almond butter, and more. They are absolutely delicious!
Carrot Banana Granola Balls
Yield: Makes 20-22 balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium to large carrots)
- 1/2 cup mashed banana (about 2 small bananas)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter or sunflower seed butter
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (use 3 tablespoons for more sweetness, 2 for slightly less)
- 1-1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup raisins or dried currants
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the carrots, mashed banana,applesauce, ground flaxseed, sunflower seed butter, and maple syrup.
Stir in the oats, coconut, raisins, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Using your hands, gently form the dough (it will be moist) into balls about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Place them on the lined baking sheet.
(They will not spread, so they can be placed close together.)
Bake for about 20 minutes until deeply golden brown and just firm to the touch. Cool completely before serving. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for longer storage.)