Like lightning in a jar
Hi! Happy Monday! Hope you’re having a wonderful morning and enjoyed a relaxing weekend.
Mine included a traveling day to get home to my favorite people.
We even had packed snacks (energy balls -recipe is below!- salad, and trail mix) to enjoy at the airport; far more delicious than most airport food I’ve seen.
(salad with every chopped veggie under the sun, grilled chicken, black beans and a spicy almond butter vinaigrette)
I’ve mentioned this many times on the blog before, but I’m not a fan of flying, which is kind of hilarious because of that one thing my husband does for a living. However, this time, I checked my anxiety at the door. We had a some turbulence, but I just thought of how excited I was to be going home. I read trashy tabloid magazines and finished #GIRLBOSS, which was fantastic.
(Source)
Liv ended up getting sick towards the end of the week, so she and the Pilot hung out around the house so she could get lots of rest. Thankfully she’s feeling much better, but we’re still keeping it low-key since too much activity gets the cough monster going. Tom joked that it was going to be like keeping lightning in a jar; she has so much energy she wants to use (and run, and dance, and spin!), but we’ve been trying to convince her to chill for a couple more days. Trying is the key word.
Workout-wise, I hit up the gym for a little BODYPUMP practice and treadmill intervals before leaving, and took a much-needed off day yesterday. I’m excited to get back in the Zumba, spin, BODYPUMP, barre swing of things this week.
After last week’s vacation (and awesome healthy eats), I felt inspired to prep a variety of snacks and staples to have on hand.
I set the timer for an hour during naptime, and cranked out:
Chopped veggies for salads (bell pepper, cucumber, snap peas, onion)
chopped veggies for dipping,
roasted chicken breasts:
(with a spicy rub: coriander, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes)
salad dressing,
and energy balls!
Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give them a try. These are a little different than the standard amazeball (even though it’s definitely the season for pumpkin!), and have a light sweetness + awesome spice kick. With the spices, they kind of taste like Christmas in ball form. You’ll know what I mean.
I doubled the recipe have plenty to last the week, but Liv and I have already had a head start 😉
Bliss balls
A gluten-free and vegan snack option. Perfect for on-the-go snacking! I suggest doubling the recipe.
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup nut butter (I used Nuttzo peanut-free)
- 1 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- zest of one orange
- Orange juice to moisten as needed
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- 1. In a food processor, combine the nuts and apricots. Pulse to chop well.
- 2. Add in the remaining ingredients and pulse until a dough forms. Add more orange juice to moisture the mixture as needed.
- 3. Using a melon ball scooper or tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll each ball with your hands until smooth.
- 4. Store covered in the fridge.
Notes
- If doubling the recipe, you may have to transfer the mixture to a separate bowl after pulsing to chop. Use a large spatula or wooden spoon to stir everything together.
- Feel free to substitute any nuts or dried fruit you enjoy! I recommend keeping the apricots -or using medjool dates instead of the apricots if you need to substitute- to keep the texture intact.
Hope you have a very happy Monday <3 See ya later today!
xoxo
Gina
55 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
You have a kitchen aid stand mixer?? Lucky!! Would you say it’s an essential?
it’s my favorite gift we got for our wedding; i’ve used it so many times
I love my kitchen aid stand mixer! It’s not an essential, but makes your life a heck of a lot easier, like when making whipped cream or something that has to be beaten for a long time. I also love my mixer for making bread dough and pizza dough- just turn it on and walk away.
I just got mine as a wedding gift. I absolutely love it. I use it often.
Ooh yum your Bliss Balls sound… well, amaze-balls! 🙂 Pumpkin spice has been going into so many of my snacks and breakfasts lately… I swear, the people at the grocery store must think I hae a bakery or something. Sounds like you had a really productive weekend and a fun vacay too (minus the whole Liv getting sick part). Happy Monday! 🙂
YUM! Those bliss balls look great! And the flowers in that first picture are GORGEOUS. What kind are they?
i’m not sure; i took the pic in canada!
I love little energy balls/date balls for a quick and healthy afternoon pick-me-up or pre-/post-workout fuel. I made some in the kitchen this weekend too for snacks this week.
I hope Livi feels better this week! I’m sure you’re so happy to be home spending time with her!
it feels so good to be home!! hope you had a great weekend 🙂
If you could transfer one of those Bliss Balls through the screen and into my hands, that would be really great ;). Thanks for the recipe!
Did you make the spicy almond butter vinaigrette or buy it? That sounds riiiight up my alley 🙂
mountain trek made it!
I love the feeling of coming back home after being gone for a while.
I hope Livi feels better soon!
And #GirlBoss is on my must read list! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
you will love it! it’s a fun and fast read
Your trip sounded amazing! How awesome to take a step away and come back refreshed and rejuvenated!
the zen is in my heart 🙂
Oooh i would definitely like to give these bliss balls a try. As chicago closes in, I really need to work on my diet to make sure I am ready to destroy my PR. These would be a great healthy snack for me. Love that you took all your food with you for the travel, I enjoy doing that, and it is so much better (and cheaper) than seeing what they have there.
I hope you will join us for Meatless Monday, there is a linkup with a button on my page 🙂 These would be a hit!
you will do it!!!
totally agree about the airport food. i’d always rather have my own snacks 🙂
Aw, hope Liv feels better soon.
thank you!
I LOVE your workout shoes!! Such a cute color!! Love these balls too- easy and dense and delicious!
That’s cool that they packed you snacks for the airport too! Impressed that you still made time to prep after a week away.
yes, i was so stoked about that! thank you- it was fun to cook a little again
The balls look great (…..bahaha), but I’m drooling over that spice rub. I just want all the spicy things, all the time! #ethnicgirlproblems
that’s me too. gimme all the spices
I just told my husband I’m going to make bliss balls, and he responded with a rather inappropriate comment. Lol. These sound so good, I’m going to hit up our local co-op and buy some hemp seeds. They actually sound like a good snack for my grandma, she hasn’t been eating so well, but she loves anything with nut butter and/or dried fruit, so this would a great nutritious snack for her 🙂
hahaha!
let me know how they turn out! hope your grandma loves them too 🙂
Yum yum! My husband recently started traveling for work and this sounds like a great thing to make for him to have as an airport snack. Adding this to my list ASAP
🙂
let me know if you give them a try!
Do you think it would be possible to make these without a food processor? I live in a dorm, so I am wondering if finely chopping the nuts and then mixing well in a bowl would be enough! They look beyond delicious, and I am always on the lookout for healthy snacks, so I would love to give them a try!
i think you could totally do it without! just chop everything well and stir in a bowl. the nut butter, orange juice and maple syrup help everything come together
Such pretty balls! I love my kitchen aid mixer. I don’t remember what I did without it. Oh yeah mixed everything by hand ha!
i had one of those hand mixers! i loved that little thing 🙂
Welcome back! Too bad your little one was sick while you were away. Have you started learning older BP releases now or are you still teaching the one you trained on? I launched BP 91 and it’s great … need to teach it a few more times before making any major decisions on it though. 🙂
i’m still teaching 89 for the most part (and super sick of it haha). i learned a couple of the tracks from 91 to teach today, but i’m not even close to knowing the whole release yet. there are a couple of songs i think i’ll skip learning (like the bad company one).
stunning flower photo!
thank you!
Glad you liked Girl Boss! It is on my reading list Happy Monday!
it’s a great read!
I love, love, love your various ball recipes so I will definitely be making these! Have an awesome day!
When I saw the title of your post, the southern girl in me immediately thought moon shine in a jar (aka white lightning). I was thinking, “Well, this post should be interesting!” Haha
Hope Liv is back to 100% soon. I know how hard it is to try to get a toddler to just chill for a little while……not happening!
Yum! Welcome back and get well soon to Liv!
Happy Monday to you, too 🙂
That travel food looks amazing! And I love lightning in a jar! Sounds like a title waiting to happen.
I totally went to Whole Foods, bought the ingredients, and made your bliss balls over my lunch break. I’m 6.5 months pregnant and as soon as I read this post I HAD to try them. They did not disappoint! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
so awesome!! happy you liked them!
Can you sub chia seeds for the hemp?
definitely!
I have GOT to get a food processor, not having on is holding me back from trying too many good recipes. Do you actually use a food processor or do you have a fancy blender that acts as both?
i use a little mini food processor. the vitamix does both, but i still use and love my mini processor
Made this tonight with cashews instead of walnuts and since I only had sweetened coconut – means I didn’t add any maple syrup. But this was my first time making amaze balls and yummy!
omg bliss balls – what!?! these look amazing. cannot wait to make!!!
let me know how they turn out!!
Thank you for the Bliss Balls recipe. I second your “Christmas in ball form”. They are sprite-ley. 🙂
These turned out delicious and my whole family loved them! Do you have the nutritional information for these?
i don’t for these. let me know if you need help calculating! happy you liked them 🙂