I know what you’re thinking: Chelsea, you have a problem.
Maybe I do, but it’s a good problem to have.
In case you’re new here, the aforementioned problem is that I spend an obnoxious amount of time dreaming up new flavors for energy balls. Like these blueberry almond butter balls, which are sort of a cross between a blueberry muffin and a fudgy blondie, but with crunchy bits of freeze-dried blueberries in every bite. 
If loving snacks is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Seriously, if someone out there wants to pay me to develop energy ball recipes, SIGN ME UP. I’m doing this for free, people. Just imagine how many more ball recipes I could be sharing with the world if I was getting a paycheck for it. Spoiler alert: so many. 
These energy balls are made with 7 simple ingredients:
Almond Butter
Freeze Dried Blueberries
Oats
Maple Syrup
Vanilla
Cinnamon
And Salt
To make them, you simply blend up some of the oats and freeze dried blueberries til they reach a flour-like consistency, then dump everything into a bowl and mix it up. The dough is scooped out, rolled between your palms, and voila! Blueberry Almond Energy Balls. DONE.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had an exhausting January. There’s a bizarre parallel between the atmosphere of the country and the atmosphere of my job right now that’s emotionally draining. Not to mention I already have a job that takes all of my focus and patience (#teacherlife)…is it February vacation yet? 
In the midst of all this stress and uncertainty, one of my former coworkers showed up on Friday with a present for me. She walked down the hall and pulled out two jars of nut butter from Vermont Peanut Butter: creamy peanut and creamy almond butter. Both for me!! Cue happy dance. She recently discovered how amazing they are, ordered a case online, and knew she had to share them with me. The fact that I’m known for my love of nut butters is borderline embarrassing but completely fantastic. I already tried the peanut butter (loved the texture!) and can’t wait to dig into the almond butter. I’m thinking another batch of these energy balls would be the perfect way to enjoy it. Well, other than slathered on English muffins, baked into blondies and brownies, or and eaten straight from the jar on a spoon. Clearly I’m no stranger to a jar of nut butter.
If you’re in the market for a quick, easy, healthy snack situation, these blueberry almond butter balls are going to become your new faves. They’re perfectly portable, packed with nutrients, and just plain fun to eat. I’ve been loving them as a snack between breakfast and lunch, but they’re equally welcome as a snack before or after the gym, out on a hike, packed into a lunchbox, or for when you’re watching Netflix and need to assemble a snack platter to keep your energy levels up. What? You don’t make yourself snack platters? Now might be the time to reassess your entire life.
I hope your week is full of hope, optimism, and love. Oh, and these blueberry almond butter energy balls! Don’t forget to let me know how they turn out-leave a comment here or tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can peep all your snack situations. Happy Monday, Friends!
Blueberry Almond Butter Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup oats divided
- 3/4 cup freeze-dried blueberries divided
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1. Put 1/2 cup oats and 1/4 cup blueberries into a food processor or blender and blend on high until they reach a flour-like consistency.
- 2. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine. Portion dough into balls using a mini ice cream scoop or a spoon. Then, roll each scoop of dough between your palms to help compress and shape them into balls.
- 3. Store ball in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls