If you’re a forager, you likely squealed with delight at last year’s cranberry harvest. What, only me? Well, squeal I did when the ground last fall was literally covered with blankets of cranberries. As a good six months have passed since peak cranberry, there’s a good chance there are forgotten bags of the tart little berries squirreled away in the back of your freezer. Dig them out and combine them with dark chocolate, almonds and oats for this decadent burst of energy.

Active prep time: 20 min
Makes 2 dozen 1” balls

Ingredients

5 medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup smooth almond butter
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp birch or maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup old-fashioned or quick oats
1/4 cup of raw almonds, soaked for 4 hours,
rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup of dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup frozen low bush cranberries

Directions

In a food processor, add dates, almond butter, flax seeds, syrup and vanilla extract. Pulse until a thick paste forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add shredded coconut. Pulse until combined.
Scrape the contents of the food processor bowl into a large mixing bowl.
Add oats and mix with your hands until evenly combined.
Add almonds, dark chocolate and continue mixing with your hands until combined.
Add frozen cranberries and quickly mix until combined.
Roll into 1” balls and freeze in a single layer.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Allow energy balls to sit out for 10 minutes from freezer before serving.