Raw Snack Balls with Apricots, Dates, and Cashews

Every other Thursday, Gena Hamshaw of the blog Choosing Raw shares satisfying, flavorful recipes that also happen to be vegan.

Today: A packable snack that's sweet, wholesome, and adaptable to whatever dried fruit and nuts you have on hand.

When back-to-school season hits, some people get excited about buying new notebooks and pens. Some people get excited for organization, for the structure and rhythm of a new schedule. Some people get excited to see their classmates again. Some people get excited to return to the classroom environment, to live the life of the mind.

I get excited about snacks.

Yup, snacks. For someone who has spent quite a bit of the last few years in classrooms, I don’t actually care too much for student life. I could do without the assignments, the tests, the textbooks, even the camaraderie. But I do love any excuse to pack up a bunch of tasty snacks every morning, and to find them in my backpack later on that day, like hidden treasures. 

More: Pack school lunch (and snacks) in style with these essentials.

These snack balls are probably my favorite student (or non-student) snack. They’re sweet, they’re filling, and they feel like a little indulgence, even if they’re made from some pretty wholesome stuff. Feel free to experiment with different dried fruits and nuts in this recipe: So long as you maintain the volume ratio of dates to nuts (about 1 1/4:1 works best, in my experience), it’s hard to mess this recipe up. It’s also not necessary to only eat the balls at snacktime; they’re equally nice for a hippie dessert, or alongside a banana if you’re looking to make breakfast in a pinch.

Apricot, Date, and Cashew Snack Balls 

Makes 14 to 16 balls

1 cup cashews, walnuts ,or almonds
Generous pinch sea salt
1 1/4 cups pitted Medjool dates (about 15 or 16 dates)
1/4 cup dried apricots
1 tablespoon almond butter
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photos by Alpha Smoot

Gena's new book Choosing Raw: Making Raw Foods Part of the Way You Eat is a thorough, relatable guide to incorporating raw and vegan foods into any diet. It's full of no-fuss recipes for every meal, which range from fully raw to mostly cooked, with plenty of snacks and desserts to keep everyone happy.