These little treats feature on my Surf Fuel series for 110% Surfing Techniques. They’re naturally sweetened with dried fruit, and make a great addition to packed lunches, with a cup of tea, or before or after exercise. Experiment with different variations – these are flavoured with cocoa powder but you could add other flavourings such as cinnamon or orange zest. Kids love helping to roll the little balls!

Makes 16-20 balls 

• 200g dates or other dried fruit
• 200g nuts e.g. walnuts
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut, for rolling

Put the dates, nuts, and cocoa powder into a food processor, and process on full speed until a stiff paste forms (you may need to stop and scrape down the bowl of the food processor once or twice). Sprinkle the desiccated coconut onto a large plate. Take heaped teaspoons of the date mixture, use the palm of your hands to roll into balls, then roll each ball in the desiccated coconut to coat. Place in the fridge for an hour to firm up. These keep well in the fridge for up to a week.