Fig & Chocolate Orange Energy Bites

These are so simple, so delicious, and oh so good for you!

Rich, sweet, and with a with a tang of orange, they kind of remind me of a Jaffa Cake. The light crunch that comes from the fig seeds and the cacao nibs creates a satisfying texture, which for me, raises them well beyond the uniformly soft Jaffa. Not to mention they pack in a lot more fibre and are a lot less processed too.

They're a great option pre-workout if you're in need of an energy boost; make up a batch and pop a couple in with your gym kit. Alternatively, gobble up as a mid morning or mid afternoon snack, when you just need a bit of a pick-me-up.

Makes 10 x 20g Bites

Ingredients 

• 100g dried figs

• 50g oat bran

• 25g whole oats

• 25g cacao nibs (available from health food stores)

• 10ml orange oil

• 2 tbsp water

You’ll also need a small blender or food processor.

Method

• Heat a non-stick pan over a low heat and add the whole oats and the oat bran. You want to just toast them lightly, so keep shaking the pan, and stir if necessary, to prevent them from burning. When they begin to turn light brown, and you can smell them toasting, they’e done, so turn off the heat and pour them into a medium size bowl.

• Put the dried figs and orange oil into a blender and whiz until smooth. Loosen with just a little water if they're clumping into a solid ball and you're struggling to get them sufficiently whizzed. Empty into the bowl with the oats.

• Add the cocoa nibs to the blender and pulse; you want to keep a bit of texture, so be careful not to cut them too fine. Then pour them into the bowl along with the other ingredients and stir until everything is well mixed together.

• If you want to make equal bite size pieces, you’ll need to weigh out the mixture. The recipe should make 10 x 20g pieces. Take a scoop, weigh it out, then roll into a ball in your hands, squeezing as you go to pack it all nice and tight together.

• Store the energy bites in an airtight container or wrap up individually. They will keep for at least a week.

Nutrition

	Per 100g	Per bite (approx. 20g)
Calories (kcal)	359.7 kcal	71.9 kcal
Carbohydrate	49.7 g	9.9 g
of which sugars	25.0 g	5.0 g
Fat	13.9 g	2.8 g
of which saturates	5.4 g	1.1 g
Protein	7.4 g	1.5g
Fibre	8.6 g	1.7 g