For many of us – especially in the Okanagan Valley – apples are synonymous with back to school. There’s nothing like a crisp, juicy apple, fresh from the tree, to accompany back-to-school lunches. 

And while fresh is best, it’s also fun to mix it up a little bit, infusing those delicious apple flavours into other yummy foods. Here is a recipe for healthy, apple caramel flavoured (minus the sugar content of real caramel) energy balls – a great pick-me-up snack for mid morning, whether at school or at work. There’s actually no caramel – the naturally sweet dates just give that impression. They’re also fast and easy to make, which makes them a favourite at our home.

Ingredients

2/3 cup pitted Medjool dates

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 1/2 cups oats, divided

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1/4 cup hemp hearts

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

1. Blend dates, apple sauce, 1/2 cup oats, chia seeds, hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, cinnamon and nutmeg in a food processor, pulsing until mixture comes together. Stir in remaining oats.
2. With slightly wet hands, roll about two tablespoons of mixture at a time into bite-sized energy balls. They can be kept refrigerated in a sealed container for up to a week or in the freezer for a month.