Green Goobers (Matcha Green Tea Energy Balls)

These little two-bite matcha green tea energy balls will add zip to your day with their tangy lime flavour and the healthy kick of green tea! (Skip to recipe.)

Okay, okay, I'll eat more greens.

Do these Green Goobers count? They're bright green and they taste amazing. They must be good for me, right?

Oh, yes - so right.

These little green energy balls are loaded with nutrients, made with only 5 ingredients, and can be whipped up in minutes. Cashews and honey, chia seeds and lime. Yum. The antioxidant level of matcha green tea powder is higher than any other type of tea, and it gives you a slow-release caffeine boost that comes with calmness and mental clarity, but no jitters like you get from coffee. That's all I need to know. Plus, that wonderful citrus zing from the lime makes my mouth happy.

I love to pop a couple of Green Goobers whenever I feel the need for a little pick-me-up.

If you haven't yet jumped onto the energy ball bandwagon, what are you waiting for? Much easier to make than cookies, these little no-bake balls of power and yum usually whip up in under 10 minutes and satisfy that craving for a little something sweet - but give you so much more in the nutrition department.

Try my Chocolate Walnut Cookie Dough Balls for your chocoholic fix, or my Gingerbread Cookie Dough Balls if you're hankering for something warm and cozy and spicy. If you're in the mood for another fruity version, these Apricot Orange Energy Balls will satisfy your craving. You could even make these decadent chocolate-covered Truffle Cake Pops (with a secret super-healthy ingredient), that are really just energy balls disguised as dessert!

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Kitchen Frau Notes: You can use the chia seeds either whole or ground up for these energy balls. I've made them both ways. Some people prefer the seeds ground because the whole seeds tend to stick in the spaces between their teeth, but others preferr the energy balls made with whole chia seeds because they like the crunch they provide. To grind the seeds, I use a coffee grinder. I grind up a bunch at a time and keep them in a baggie in the freezer. You can also use a blender to grind the seeds.

(For the energy balls in the photographs, I used ground white chia seeds.)

I've specified white chia seeds because they are less noticeable, but dark chia seeds would work just as well. They have the same nutritional value.

I've also made these Green Goobers with macadamia nuts and they work equally well.

Matcha green tea powder is finely ground green tea leaves that have been shaded during their last weeks of growth to produce a higher than normal chlorophyll content, producing the bright green colour. This tea is extremely high in antioxidants. Matcha is quite expensive, but a little goes a long way. It's available in health food stores and tea shops, but I've found it to be much cheaper in the Asian supermarkets, with a variety of different brands available.

Green Goobers (Lime & Matcha Green Tea Energy Balls)

• 2 cups raw unsalted cashews (or macadamia nuts)
• ¼ cup honey
• zest and juice of 1 lime (1 teaspoon zest and 1½ tablespoons juice)
• 2 tablespoons white chia seeds, whole or ground
• 1 tablespoon matcha green tea powder

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and grind until you have an even mass with small nut chunks in it. Once the dough sticks together in somewhat of a ball as it whips around the blade, it is sticky enough. If it is too dry to come together, add a small drizzle of additional lime juice or water to help it come together.

Scrape the dough from the food processor into a smaller bowl, and refrigerate for about 10 minutes, to allow the chia seeds to absorb water and make the dough easier to roll.

Use  a teaspoon to scoop up about a walnut-sized chunk of dough at a time, and roll it into a ball with the palm of your hands until it is smooth and shiny.

Makes 20 energy balls.

Store them in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Guten Appetit!

 

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