Taste Maker: Medjool Date Energy Balls

No-bake bites to add for a daily snack!
Medjool Date Energy Balls
Ingredients
8 medjool dates pits removed
1 cup uncooked old fashioned oatmeal
½ cup ground flax seed
⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sunflower seed butter (or peanut butter)
Directions
Fill a glass container with very hot water. (I heat about 2 cups in the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes.)
Add dates to water, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5-10 minutes. This softens the dates and makes them easier to puree, but may not be necessary if dates are very soft.
Remove dates from water and place in a small food processor.
Add to the food processor about 1 Tablespoon of the water the dates soaked in.
Pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Add additional water to thin the consistency of the paste, if desired.
Set date "paste" aside.
Combine oatmeal, flax seed, coconut flakes and chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl.
Add date paste, vanilla extract and sunflower seed butter to the dry mixture.
Stir to combine all of the ingredients.
Refrigerate dough for about 15 minutes if possible. (It's not required, but does make it easier to work with.)
Form dough into Tablespoon-size balls.
Refrigerate balls in an air tight container.
Enjoy!
Recipe sourced from Dinner Mom