Meet one of my favorite spins on Mint Chocolate Chip – what is quite possibly the most nostalgic flavor for me, Vegan Matcha Mint Chip Energy Balls. I grew up snacking on traditional mint chocolate chip ice cream at my grandparents’ wooden table with placemats made from paper towels (not because that was their style, they just didn’t do dribbles on the good placemats). When I taste Mint Chocolate Chip, I’m taken back to summertime surrounded by Virginia Pines on a porch swing, leaning on my Grandad’s shoulder and feeling surrounded by love and peace in a simpler time.
This about a week before he passed away, my Grandad popped his eyes open after slumbering for days and asked “do we have any mint chocolate chip?”, which I gladly brought to him and got myself a bowl of.
It’s always amazing to me that so many memories can be triggered by taste.
By sight, smells, feelings, and circumstances.
Why not make things that not only fill us with nutrients but jog our memories of the best times?
Though I’m no stranger to mint chocolate chip ice cream, I’m also no stranger to matcha, and recipes that are more helpful as a mid day snack than a bowl of ice cream.
These suckers have only a few ingredients, contain healthy fats, and will give you a hefty boost of energy to get through your day and be the most awesome you that you can be. The only equipment you’ll need is a food processor or blender and a camera to take photos and post them while tagging me over on Instagram. That last part is optional, but it’ll make my day.
Vegan Matcha Mint Chip Energy Balls
Ingredients:
-
2 tsp. matcha powder
-
1 tbsp. coconut oil (melted)
-
1.5 cups raw almonds
-
1-2 tbsp maple syrup or agave
- 1 pitted medjool date
-
1/2 tsp peppermint extract or fresh mint if you’ve got it
-
1/4 cup cacao nibs (I use Navitas Organics. You can also substitute some chocolate chips)
Instructions:
-
Begin by pulsing your almonds in the food processor or blender until they’re ground up.
-
Blend all of the ingredients (aside from the cacao nibs) until you have a bit of a dough that sticks together when you squeeze it into shape.
-
Using the same food processor bowl (with the blade removed) or another mixing bowl, loosely mix in cacao nibs with your hands. Form into balls.
-
Enjoy.
*I haven’t tried freezing these, and they’ve never made it more than a day or so in my house, but I’d say a few days would be fine to keep them in the refrigerator.
If you’re looking for more matcha goodness, check out my previous blog on macadamia matcha lattes where I went over what it is and why you should give it a go.
Do you like mint chocolate chip ice cream? If not, what’s your favorite flavor?
Definitely love these mint matcha balls
They taste awesome and give you a good boost to make it through your day without caving in to unhealthy snacks or more coffee
Highly recommend you make a batch and keep them in the freezer for an easy thaw and eat snack
Yes! They’re great in the freezer for a quick snack on fuller days 💕 thanks for the comment