I’m a sucker for these zero waste bliss balls. Technically, they’re basically vegan truffles. But hey, they’re delicious either way. I love the fact these are no-bake too. You can make these as a dessert, or as a snack. They’re great for either or. I can definitely see kids enjoying these alongside their lunch. They’re easily portable: just stick a few of them into an air-tight container. With the school season here again, it’s always nice to pack a few (healthy) snacks along the way. Why not some bliss balls? If you don’t have kids (like me haha) then you can always just enjoy these on your own, or with friends and family. They’re just that versatile. Here’s how to make these yummy zero waste bliss balls (and keep them waste free).
__________________________________
Zero Waste Bliss Balls
This recipe is very simple to make. It makes about 12 balls. It’ll take you about 10 minutes, tops. It’s no-bake, easy to make vegan and dairy-free. It’s also super healthy for you! It’s a tasty, sneaky way to get more seeds into your diet too. You can’t go wrong with one of these zero waste bliss balls.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of dates
- 3 tablespoons of walnuts
- 3 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds (also extra for topping)
- 1 orange or clementine
- 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder (also extra for topping)
- 1-2 tablespoons of honey (or maple syrup, if vegan)
Note on toppings: Personally, I rolled some of my bliss balls around in coca powder, some in chia seeds. Some I left without any toppings. You can feel free to top them with whatever you like – coconut or chocolate shavings, freeze dried raspberry powder, lemon/orange zest, etc. The choices are limitless. I just chose whatever I had on hand, which is always the more sustainable option than going out and buying something else.
Directions:
- Add the dates, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, cocoa powder and honey to a blender or food processor. Cut your orange or clementine in half and squeeze the juice into the blender/food processor. Compost the orange/clementine remains.
- Blend everything up until it forms a sticky brown paste. A few seeds might not blend altogether, but that’s okay. Just be mindful of those when you’re eating of course.
- Prepare a plate or two by sprinkling some cocoa powder, chia seeds or whatever topping of choice you’d like onto it. Grab some of the sticky paste into your hands and roll it into a ball. Then, roll it into the topping of your choice until it’s evenly coated.
- Place your finished bliss balls on a clean plate and put it in the fridge. Leave them in there for at least one hour so they solidify.
Storage: Once solidified, keep these in the fridge in an air-tight container, like a glass jar.
And that’s it! Your zero waste bliss balls are done. Eat ’em up!
Some people like to add a dash of nut butter or coconut oil to their bliss balls. If you want to give that a go, feel free to! Whatever makes your mouth happy.
I recommend doing your best to shop for the ingredients needed as waste free as possible. Check your local bulk food store for the ingredients I list first. Getting them as package free as possible is definitely recommended. Here’s how to use the bulk bins without creating waste.
If you can’t find these ingredients completely package free, it’s okay. Just get them in the biggest container or bag you can find. The smaller the item, the harder it is to recycle after all. Opt for paper, glass and cardboard packaging over plastic whenever possible.
If you have to buy the ingredients in a plastic bag, get the biggest one, then look for plastic film recycling in your area. Often times, plastic bags cannot be recycled along with the regular recycling. I take mine and bring them to my local grocery store – they have a plastic bag/film drop off location on site! Yours might as well.
Would you give these zero waste bliss balls a try? For even more zero waste recipes, be sure to check out my ebook, How to Reduce Food Waste – it’s got 14 yummy (and low waste) recipes inside!
Want more zero waste snacks? Try making my zero waste almond pulp hummus or my zero waste salsa recipe.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to share it! If you like my content, sign up for my newsletter to get notified every time I write a new blog post. To support me even further, please consider buying me a cup of tea to help support my blog.
They look yum ��!
Haha, they really are! 🙂 I could eat these all day.