Nut-and-Seed Energy Balls

These intensely rich, super-seed and nut butter treats are meant to be consumed in small portions — one or two at a time — not scarfed down! Unlike other energy snacks, you need no blender or food processor to make them. This makes a great late-afternoon pick-me-up, post-workout snack, or even a good way to start the day. Use different nut butters, seeds, and dried fruits to vary it each time you make it.

Makes about 1 dozen

• 1/2 cup organic smooth peanut, cashew, or almond butter
  (make sure it’s more firm than runny)
• 1/3 cup hemp, sesame, or chia seeds, or as needed
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar
• 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries, cherries, or blueberries

Combine the nut butter, seeds, and syrup in a small bowl. Work together with the tines of a fork. Depending on the texture of the nut butter, you may need to work in more seeds. It should be easy to take a small clump of this mixture and form into a ball.

Work in the dried fruit of choice. With slightly damp hands, roll small clumps into balls not more than 1 inch in diameter and arrange on a small plate. Eat at once, or refrigerate for an hour or so.

• Here are more of VegKitchen’s No-Bake or Raw Sweets.