Energy Balls and Bars: 4 Recipes for When You’re on the Go

Small, healthy and quick to make: two energy balls and two bars that fit in any jacket pocket – whether you’re rock climbing, ski touring or snowshoeing.
Energy balls rolled in desiccated coconut
Energy balls rolled in desiccated coconut

An energy boost for your pocket

Climbing, ski touring, freeriding or snowshoeing: every outdoor activity takes energy. And there isn’t always a mountain hut nearby.

The solution: a little energy boost to carry in your pocket. Energy balls and bars fit in any lunchbox, taste great and are made from simple ingredients. Here are four recipes that are easy to make: two balls for a quick snack, an energy bar and a protein bar for recovery after a day of climbing.

Recipes: Alice Angermann

‘Greta’ energy balls

Ingredients:

  • 250 g spelt flakes
  • 1 ripe banana
  • a little coconut milk
  • 3 tbsp raisins
  • 200 g ground almonds
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp desiccated coconut

Method:

  1. Easy to toast the spelt flakes in a dry frying pan.
  2. Mash the banana and mix with all the other ingredients (except the desiccated coconut) – add coconut milk as required.
  3. Shape into balls and roll them in the coconut flakes.

Energy balls with dates

Ingredients:

  • 60 g soft oat flakes
  • 1 orange
  • 80 g pitted dates
  • 50 g ground hazelnuts
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 4 tbsp chopped hazelnuts

Method:

  1. Squeeze the orange and soak the oats in the juice.
  2. Once the liquid has been absorbed, mix in the dates, ground hazelnuts and honey. Add more ground hazelnuts if required.
  3. Shape into balls and roll them in the chopped hazelnuts.

Energy bars with nuts and apricots

When your energy and concentration start to wane, your body needs a quick energy boost. Homemade muesli bars are easy to pop in your pocket, nutritious and taste better than shop-bought ones.

Ingredients:

  • 30 g almonds
  • 30 g walnuts
  • 30 g sunflower seeds
  • 100 g dried apricots
  • 50 g raisins
  • 1 piece of seasonal fruit
  • 100 g cereal flakes
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 3 tbsp honey

Method:

  1. Blend all the dry ingredients in a food processor, then mix in the fruit, salt and honey.
  2. Spread the mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 180 °C for about half an hour.
  3. Cut into bars whilst still warm and leave to cool.

Protein bar with quark

After a strenuous day’s climbing, your body needs help to recover and build muscle. This bar, made with quark and egg white, provides the protein you need.

Ingredients:

  • 150 g rolled oats
  • 50 g raisins
  • 250 g quark
  • 200 ml milk
  • 5 egg whites
  • Coconut flakes to taste
  • Seeds from one vanilla pod

Method:

  1. Beat the egg whites until stiff and mix with the remaining ingredients. If the mixture is too runny, add some flakes (oats or spelt).
  2. Spread the mixture onto a baking tray and bake at 160 °C for about half an hour, until the surface is golden brown.
  3. Leave to cool, then cut into bars.
Energy balls rolled in chopped hazelnuts

More recipes

You can find these and other recipe tips from nutritionist Alice Angermann at aliceangermann.at.

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