Zeal Balls! For anyone in need of a bit of energy!

(This one's for you, Valerie. Sorry it took me so long to get this up)

Energy Balls (otherwise know as Zeal Balls!)

Kids are often described as balls of energy! They go so hard, so fast, so pure, all day. Snacks are intended to be pick-me-ups for them, just satisfying enough to get through till the next full meal. But snacks also need to provide the nutrients to help little bodies keep up with the big ideas they have in mind.

A power-packed little combination of both sweet and savory ingredients, Energy Balls are a quick, easy, and all around fun snack for kids to make themselves or together as a family. Because they combine many different ingredients filled with a variety of nutrients, they provide a quick, one-inch burst of energy that will have the staying power that growing, moving kids need.

A great “to-go” snack, Energy Balls are easy packables for picnics, car trips, and school lunches. They can be made days in advance, refrigerated, and pulled out during the melt-down emergencies many kids experience when they are running low on fuel.

For an added creative and sensory experience, use your hands to stir the ingredients together. Don’t worry too much about getting the “right” measurements – these little guys are forgiving.



Energy Balls
Ingredients:
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup granola
¼ cup grated carrots or zucchini
¼ cup oats
¼ cup sunflower seeds (or other nuts and seed of your choice such as flax or hemp)
¼ cup peanut butter or more if you feel the mixture is too dry to roll into balls.
1 T agave nectar or maple syrup (optional - we use pretty sweet granola from Golden Temple so we often don't add extra sweetener)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and roll into twelve 1-inch balls.
Dust or roll in wheat germ, flax seeds, hemp seeds, or your choice of topping.