Annika Eats

Annika Eats

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Cashew coconut bites

An energy bite packed with the tropical zest from coconut, an indulgent element of cashew nuts and fruity freshness from strawberries making it delicious and nutritious for you.

Everything about this recipe makes me happy. Its good for you, its easy to make, scrumptious and very delicious. It consists of all of my favorite flavors that are combined to form a burst of yumminess with every bite. The recipe is versatile as there are many substitutes that can be used to prepare it.

As it is a vegan and gluten free recipe the ingredients are interchangeable however keep in mind the dietary restrictions is they are based on allergies. I am not vegan or gluten free but I do enjoy delicious recipes under their plate and I love sharing them, as I know there are many of you who have diet restrictions.

These little bites are made up of 3 parts, the coconut cashew balls, the fruit goo and the garnish. When making any food in general we eat with our eyes first so the garnish/accompaniments aren’t just options but should be considered with more importance and they make the final look and appeal of the dish more appetizing.

To make the balls, all the ingredients get thrown into a blender and combined until it forms a dough. Hence it is a no bake cashew coconut ball. If you want a drier and firmer texture to the balls, they can be baked for 8 mins at 170°C and left to cool before decorating.  The cashew coconut balls taste delicious, as they are however the fruit goo adds another level of freshness to them with every bite. The fruit goo is essentially fruit puree or a smooth fruit jam or a fruit sauce, I mean you can call it what ever you like but I like the term fruit goo. It can be made with any fruit as long as the measurements are adhered to. I used strawberry but you could use any fruit you like or you have. The third element is the decoration and this helps the over appearance of them.

The recipe is very easy to make and very easy to eat hence storing them has never been an issue, as it doesn’t lasts that long. However if you were to store them, they should be decorated and then refrigerated. They last well for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container however the color of the fruit goo will change with time. They can also be frozen for a month and defrosted at room temperature when needed.

A few Substitutes:

Cashew butter – You can use any nut butter you like, peanut butter or even almond butter works well here. Note: I make my cashew butter at home by blending 1 cup of cashews that have been lightly warmed and cooled. This process takes a little time but it is worth it. Keep scraping the blender with a spatula and stop to mix the mixture every now and then. This helps to blend all the bits and pieces. It takes close to 15 mins to get the smooth texture/consistency but it is worth it.

Cashew nuts & Walnuts – You can use any nuts you like. This definitely changes the flavor profile and the overall taste of the bites but it works well with pistachios, almonds, pine nuts or even peanuts. A mixture of seeds also works well in this recipe.

Honey/Vegan option – If you want the recipe to be completely vegan you could use only dates the cashew coconut ball mixture. While you could use maple or any sugar substitute for the fruit goo. Agave syrup works well here too.

Fresh Coconut – As this is essentially a coconut energy ball filled with good fats for you, freshly shredded/grated coconut is the best option however you could use desiccated coconut in this recipe. You would need a tbsp more than the fresh coconut but it works just fine. Frozen shredded coconut also works well.

Coconut oil – Any oil works here but the addition of coconut oil highlights the coconut flavor in these energy balls.

Strawberries – I personally love the flavor of strawberries and coconut. Hence why I made the strawberry goo. However you can make any fruit goo you like, blueberries, blackberries, mulberries, gooseberries, peaches, pineapples, etc. As long as you follow the base measurements on making the fruit goo it doesn’t matter what fruit you use.

Chia seeds –Ideally they work great in the fruit goof recipe however you could use ½ tsp cornstarch, ½ flour or ½ sauce thickening powder.

They are great pre workout treats and just yummy to have in the morning or through out the day if you feel that sweet tooth craving. Happy Cooking!

Cashew Coconut Bites

An energy bite packed with the tropical zest from coconut, an indulgent element of cashew nuts and fruity freshness from strawberries making it delicious and nutritious for you.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 8 mins
Course Breakfast, Snack, Sweet tooth
Servings 12 Balls

Equipment

  • Blender/ Food processor
  • Strainer/sieve
  • Tablespoons
  • Saucepan

Ingredients
  

Cashew Coconut Balls

  • 2 tbsp Cashew butter
  • 2 tbsp Cashew nuts
  • 2 tbsp Walnuts
  • 5 tbsp Fresh coconut (grated)
  • 1 tsp Coconut oil
  • ½ tsp Honey
  • 1 Date

Fruit Goo

  • ¼ cup Strawberries (roughly chopped)
  • 6 tbsp Water
  • 2 tsp Chia seeds
  • ½ tsp Honey

Garnish

  • Fresh coconut
  • Cashew nuts (whole & chopped)
  • Strawberries (quartered)

Instructions
 

  • To make the fruit goo, add all the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and leave to thicken for 4-6 mins on medium heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
  • Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth, this could take a couple of mins be patient. If you blender doesn’t blend all the chia seeds until smooth you could pass the fruit good through a strainer/sieve for a velvet smooth texture.
  • To make the cashew coconut balls, add the walnuts and cashews in a blender and blend until a coarse powder. Add the date and blend again.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and blend until it forms a dough. At this stage if the dough it too dry to form in to balls blend it some more. If it is too sticky add a tbsp. of fresh coconut (grated) and briefly blend together.
  • Wet your hands with a little water use 1 tbsp of the mixture to form into balls by rolling between both the palms. Once you’ve formed balls of all the mixture set into the fridge for a few minutes.
  • Drizzle/pipe/spoon over the now cooled fruit goo onto the balls and garnish as you please.

Notes

Pro Tip:
- You could add a tablespoon of protein powder to this in place of the shredded coconut for amp up the nutrition content. I have used Nuzest Vanilla Protein here and it works like charm.
- If you have extra fruit goo you can place it in the fridge and use it over 10 days, over toast, in your smoothies, over ice cream, in your oatmeal, etc.

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