Two things have happened in recent days of which I am inordinately proud:
1. I was driving down a busy (well, relatively speaking; this is Canberra, after all) road at 80 kilometres an hour when I saw, out of the corner of my eye, a spider crawling down one of the ringlets that falls to the side of my face.
I didn’t crash the car and cause an horrific accident on Adelaide Avenue.
Those of you who were around for the Great Spider Sock Incident of 2010 will surely understand what an achievement this was.
2. I made up my own flavour of no-bake raw-ish vegan snack balls. I call them my Tropical Australian Raw-ish No-Bake Vegan Treat Snack Balls, because they have mango in them. Mango, that most beloved-by-Australians of fruits.
I’m going to tag this recipe as “raw”, although whether or not you make a truly raw or simply a no-bake version will depend on the type of dried mango you use. My dried mango, which was from the Phillipines via Costco, probably isn’t 100% raw.
It is, however, 100% delicious. As are these no-bake raw-ish vegan snack balls. While making these, I couldn’t help thinking that some coconut would work fabulously alongside the other ingredients. But alas! I’d wasted all my coconut on a failed attempt at making coconut butter. (Dear Mum and Dad, I promise I didn’t make your food processor smoke when I was house-sitting…)
So what are you waiting for? Go forth and make these delicious chewy morsels of terrificality! For those of you who find that raw desserts sometimes taste only of dates and nuts, I think I’m comfortable asserting that the many ingredients in this particular recipe cohere into a more rounded, caramelly, mango-tinted, and nutty-buttery treat.
Also, if in doubt, eat them dipped into vegan chocolate spread or non-vegan Nutella.
Not that I did that, or anything. No sirree. (Lies!)
Raw Vegan Mango, Date, and Sunflower Tropical Energy Balls
How many different names can I possibly apply to one recipe? I do apologise for my inconsistency.
Makes… well, it really depends on how big you like your balls. I think I made around 20.
- 1/2 cup (60g) raw cashews
- 1/2 cup (60g) raw sunflower seeds
- 2/3 cup (100g) medjool dates
- 2/3 cup (90g) dried mango
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- 2-3 tsp water, if needed
1. Tip everything (except for the water) into a food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together in a cohesive and slightly-sticky ball. Add water if needed.
2. Roll into balls and store in the freezer. (Or roll in shredded coconut and then store in the freezer. Or dip into Nutella/Sweet William Chocolate Spread and then store in you tummy.)
Question Time: What have you done lately that you’re proud of?
{ 88 comments… read them below or add one }
Hannah, owning socks with pictures of spiders on them is just asking for trouble!!!
You reminded me of my own incident with a spider in my car around 8 years ago. I was driving 110km in peak hour on my way to work.
My window was open a fraction. I discovered that a small huntsman spider was busy climbing over the window, making its way into the car.
I planned on just keeping an eye on it. The next thing I knew, a gust of wind blew the spider into my car and it landed on my cheek! I honestly don’t remember what happened next; I’ve obviously blocked the event from my conscious mind. I just remember arriving at work with a very red and sore right side of my face, from where I slapped myself repeatedly! I did keep driving – I was aware that spiders are often responsible for car accidents, and I did not pull over on the side of the road because I’d never make it back onto the road – my poor little bomb at the time just didn’t have the acceleration power and there’d never be a safe break in the traffic!
Now I have goose bumps….
I feel very, very cold!
Tell that to my mum, who bought the socks for me! She must’ve thought they’d work as shock therapy…
Oh heavens, your story has given me the chills too. I think I’m going to have to pretend I never heard it
I didn’t did I?
BTW The balls are delicious – folks, she gave me one (just one).
Well, tween me certainly wasn’t buying socks for myself!!
I’m so glad you liked it
And hey, you know you’re glad I ate the others at rehearsal…
Can you dip some of these in chocolate? For me? And post pictures. So I can live vicariously through you.
I’ll see what I can do
But, to be honest, I have almost none left…
I love how you’re posting different types of vegan snack balls! I can’t wait to finish my current snack balls so that I can start trying out some of your recipes! Your spider incident reminded me of an encounter some time back. I was cycling behind a friend, and a spider landed on his back. I told him that there’s a spider on his back, he freaked out and crashed. Thankfully it’s just a bicycle and not a car:) Proud of you:)
Ack! I completely understand your friend’s reaction, but the poor thing!
Oooh, I hope you try some of these snack balls soon, I’d love to hear what you think! So far I’ve only had my mum as taste-tester
Question – where do you get your medjool dates from? I can only find really espensive ones!~
They are always quite expensive, sadly! I’ve been steadily using (and by this I mean I have only two dates left…) a box that I bought at Supabarn a few months back, which were on semi-sale. And by that I mean they only cost half a kidney
Looks like a yummier version of a Lara Bar! Which I enjoy, but I don’t know why they bother making different flavors. They all taste like slight variations upon the date.
Once I finish editing these grant proposals into something I’m not embarrassed to submit, then there will be pride. Unfortunately, there has been way too much laying on the couch and missing work for “snow days” lately.
I must admit I do miss Larabars, but I always thought they were too expensive for what they were. And, yes, too many of them tasted exactly the same! I love being able to customize the flavours myself
Oh Lauren, I know you’re going to blow everyone away with your proposals! Seeing how stellar you’ve been at EVERYTHING lately, this is sure to be a continuation of such amazingness
haha I hate food processor smoke. It always makes me feel like I accidentally broke something….oops
But so long as our food processors keep working, everything’s okay, right?
I hear nothing!
*shhhh*
Oh the ingredients look soo very healthy. Finally a snack that isn’t sinful?
Not sinful at all! Unless you do what I did and dip them in chocolate spread
Oh no those spiders clearly think that you are something special! Not so bad but does it have to be spiders? Can’t it be something a bit more desirable-as you deserve!
Aw, thanks Lorraine! Only you could turn my arachnophobia into a lovely compliment
I love all those ingredients, I’ll have to try this recipe!
You definitely should! I think you’ll like these
Freakin’ spiders…., well done for not crashing the car kid. And, your raw balls…. lol…. look pretty nice actually
Hannah’s raw balls…., kinda has a ring to it hasn’t it 
Hmm… I don’t know if “Hannah’s raw balls” is quite the ring I’m going for
I’m previously only a lurker but my immaturity got the better of me and forced me to break my silence! “it really depends how big you like your balls”
P.s. I am over 12, promise
P.p.s Can they be my raw balls too?
Thank you so much for delurking, Hannah! It honestly makes my day to chat with someone new
And it’s even better when they have the best name in the world, and laugh at something that made me giggle when I wrote it 
Oh, and these can absolutely be your balls too.
I LIKE MY BALLS REALLY BIG!
Raw energy balls with mango, I don’t need anything else. Have you tasted Alphonso mangoes? I am a big fan of these mangoes.
Spiders…yikes!
I have to say I’m more partial to Kensington Pride and Calypso mangoes, but I’ll keep an eye out for some Alphonsos!
I love stuff like this. I made a almond power bar recently and reminded me of how easy it can be to make your own energy bar snacks. Looks great!
Oooh, that almond power bar sounds good! I’ve yet to tag anything I’ve made with the name “power”, but now you’ve given me the idea…
Bad, Heidi, Bad! You’re reminding me that I never finished my power ball recipes that I made before our epic walk. These look fabulous! Great inspiration – mango is a fabulous idea. So sunny!
Heidi xo
Thanks Heidi! And luckily for me, I still have most of my huge bag of dried mango left for future experiments
I hope you post your power ball recipes soon!
I made a pretty bad-ass broadcast package and got praised for it in class today, so I’m dang proud of it!
I usually glaze over vegan raw “balls” of any kind, but yours definitely caught my eye with the mango!!! What genius!!!! I love the mix of tropical mango in there…it’s also my favorite fruit!
Awesome! You broadcast superstar you
Aw, thanks for not closing the browser as soon as you saw the words “balls”!
These really are quite tasty.
I love your spider in the car story- glad you survived. I suspect Canberra spiders do such things for amusement. I shall always remember my alarm at having a modestly large huntsman run across that ticklish bit behind my knee whilst driving through a sequence of traffic lights near Fyshwick. I had to keep going through the lights before I could pull over, fling the door open and madly flail and jump about like a woman possessed by the side of the road. Just as well we don’t do witch trials any more, I would have been a goner.
That dried mango looks such an amazing colour and so moist! I tend to find pale, dry, insipid looking versions. Is this from your Costco Melbourne stash? I see that Costco is coming to Canberra! I may have to include a trip to Costco on my Melbourne sojourn later in the year.
Thank you Louise, I’m very glad that we *both* survived our spider-in-the-car trials! I honestly think I’d be sick if a huntsman crawled over me.
Yes, this dried mango is unlike any I’ve seen around before! I hate the rock-hard crystallised kind that tastes of nothing but sugar. Definitely put a bag of these on your Costco list. (Also, yep, Costco is slated for Canberra later this year. Hurrah!)
Feed me, please!! I want these
Sure, come on over!
wow, these look like way too much fun to eat!
I’m always proud of myself when I wake up at 5:45 to make sure I workout before going to work!
Hahaha! I’m almost never asleep before 1am, so I can’t even comprehend getting up at 5:45am! Well done you.
GASP! Those balls look insanely delic!
I don’t make homemade larabars/larabar-esque balls very often because it’s always so hard to clean the food processor and I never can finish them before they go bad, but it’s recipes like yours that make me want to make them more often! Those look so delicious!
Alexandra, do you store yours in the freezer? Because that helps them stay fresh for much longer
I do hope you brave the trials of food processor cleaning at some point – snack balls like this are kinda wonderful 
mmmmm dried mango from costco!!
They look amazing, I think I may have to make myself a batch!
Thanks Shellie! Plus it’s so easy for you to whip these up, seeing as you have constant easy access to wonderful Costco mango!
Holy crap, I’d be lucky not to crash too if that happened to me! I’ll take those snacks instead of the spider please.
Snacks over spiders… that might be my new mantra.
Yum! I love the energy balll ingredients!
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by my blog!
Your self control is awesome and you deserve to eat the entire batch of your tropical balls for such bravery.
Oh, don’t you worry Kath, I came very close to eating the lot on the first night
YEAH I ATE THE WHOLE BATCH IN THE FIRST 3 HOURS! =)
We’re two peas in a pod
wow you are becoming a raw food queen! I think I am unAustralian because I have never quite understood why people get so excited about Mango – I did find some dried dragonfruit once and would love to find that more because it would do me for tropical raw treats – but I would probably have to make do with dried apricots in these balls
Now what are you doing trying to make coconut oil in a food procesor when you have a vitamix – really you should have it with you at all times
I am sure it would help you deal with those spiders – I mean the noise of course rather than putting them in it 
Johanna! Hug! I’m actually exactly the same way; I’ve never got the obsession with mango. Give me lychees, figs, pomegranates, or persimmon instead anyday! The way you miss dried dragonfruit is the way I miss dried mangosteen… oh, those would both make fabulous treats! As would apricot, for sure.
Ah, Johanna, well spotted – the reason I didn’t use my VM is because I was house-sitting for my parents, and felt silly taking the blender with me for just one week. Rest assured, the coconut butter WILL be happening in the VM soon! (Ugh… blended spiders?!)
And when you house-sit for three weeks you might bring your VM to protect our little food processor from smoking?? Perhaps?
I absolutely will! Mostly because I really missed my smoothies, though
Also, it was more like steam than smoke, I promise…
I’ve been eating a lot of nuts (mostly cashews and almonds) as snacks lately instead of raiding my office’s chip and lolly box. I love my cashews but I HAVE been getting sick of them so I was happy to come across this recipe. Dried mangoes and coconut? Yum!
Oh, definitely make some of these (and the cookie dough ones I posted earlier – they’re equally fantastic), as they’re far more exciting than just a handful of nuts. I’m not quite sure why they taste so much better, but they do!
oh man, i would’ve crashed the car!! glad to hear you didn’t!
p.s. i can’t believe they have Costco in the Philippines. and why don’t we have one here??
Oops, that’s not quite what I meant! The Costco I visited was in Melbourne (and I think more are opening in Canberra and Sydney this year), but the mango was made/dried in the Philippines. I think!
Oh god, I certainly would have crashed. A couple of months ago I had a huge fast spider on the OUTSIDE of my car and almost crashed a few times, by the time I got home I was in tears. Eeek
Anyhow, these little balls look amazing! I love mangos at the moment
Rose
Wow, after reading these comments it’s seems like almost everyone has a spider-car horror story! It’s amazing we’re all still alive! And thanks
I’ve been thinking about making thingies like this (again) for a while now. Last year, I made some using dried figs, apricots, and almonds. Thank you so much for posting this, I feel inspired now!
I’ve made myself independent with my diploma thesis when my supervisor more or less dumped me, and I’m proud of me that I can do this by myself.
Wow! That is something to be seriously, seriously proud of. And right now I’m making a crankypants face in the direction of your supervisor. Just so you know
P.S. Dried figs is a marvellous idea
Oh dear god, you’re my hero. Partially for your amazing balls of delight, but mainly for your non-crashing-of-car-when-faced-with-spider-situation. You’re lucky I was not in the car with you, as I probably would have thrown myself from the moving vehicle and then ruined the rest of your day as you would have had to come collect me and take me to hospital and then go and make me tasty balls to bring back to me in hospital and then read me nice stories and collect my toothbrush and fluff my pillows. You would have done this, right?
Conor, not only would I have done that, it would have made for one of the BEST days of my life, not a ruined day. Because the day that you’re in the car with me is going to be the day my heart bursts open with happiness
Though I’m sure if either of us ends up in hospital upon such a meeting, it’s going to be because we damaged ourselves with passionate Disney duet singing
P.S. I hereby promise to bring you orange-flecked balls (see the caringness there?) and read Drac and the Gremlin to you if you ever jump out of my car.
What’s with you and balls lately? Too much cooking in the kitchen?
Probably more about wish fulfilment…
I love things that you can just pop into your mouth! Dried mango is the best too. I used to buy it all the time at paddys markets.
You should definitely try the Costco mango when it opens here! Cheap and tasty
WOW. Those look so incredibly yummy! Great pictures… you’re making my hungry! Thanks for posting and for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it out this weekend
Thank you Elizabeth! I hope you like them if/when you try the recipe!
I do not think I have seen a mango balls recipe yet
These sound fantastic! Found your blog via your Oh She Glows mention. Great work!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! These really are wonderfully tasty
These look great – I’ve bookmarked them for later! I was just looking at the dried mango at costco and debating whether I should buy some. You’ve convinced me!
Go for it! Costco mango awaits! I hope you like these if you try them, and thanks for popping by my blog!
Hannah:) I made these 2 weeks back, and I made it again today because I absolutely love them (and did a post on it). It’s harder to find medjool dates over here, so I used red dates instead.
Hurrah! As I said on your blog, I’m so glad you like them. You’ve made them more than me now! I need more dates…
I stumbled upon your lovely blog recently and was inspired to try your mango/nut balls immediately. I couldn’t wait to go the shop so improvised a little – using ordinary (but nice, juicy) dates and raw mixed nuts (almond, walnut, brazil & cashew). Then I added a few pumpkin seeds to boot. Rolled them in sesame seeds and voila! They have been taste tested by a nearby Oxfam 100k trailwalker in training – and now they have the “delicious on the track energy food” tick of approval. Thank you!
Andy, I’m so utterly and incredibly delighted! I’m going to have to try your version myself – rolling these in sesame seeds sounds like perfection
One of the things I love about these raw fruit-nut creations is their infinite adaptability – I’m so glad your version turned out so well! Thank you for reporting back 
Hey, those look really tasty! It’s a pity it’s terribly early (I think its like 5 or 6 or something-but brain stopped caring around 4 expresso’s go) Plus I have a slight hangover as it was my Dad’s Bday yesterday (I should have known it wasn’t a good idea to have 5 glasses of Asti on 2 hours sleep lol. Bad enough we had friends over, I couldn’t keep track of the convo- 1 min we’re talking ’bout weird guys (no idea why) the next ocd. Lol I don’t think anyone noticed, hehe. ;D . Sorry, I ramble when I’m sleep deprived; anyway I have to wait for my parents to wake before I can get the ingredients and start making. Hope they buy it (I can’t cause i’m only 14). Lol can’t wait!
If I was in the car would’ve jumped, lol.
P.s. I once was lying on my back watching simpsons in my room- with a duvet over me- when a spider RANand boy do I mean ran right across my chest!!! I literally almost screamed blue murder (my mum was sleeping next store and gets real cranky,lol) I had to use a cotton bud box lid and the back of a very handy sketchbook, and then run down the stairs like the devil was behind me to wake my dad up. Lol. He wasn’t really that happy bout it
P.p.s. You should try Asti, if you can it’s REALLY sweet.
P.p.p.s. I feel like printing those pictures and eating them lol
Thank you for the lovely comment, Jasmine! Though girl, you need to get yourself some sleep! Preferably sleep without spiders involved, though *shudders* I think I’ll have to stay away from any drink that’s incredibly sweet; don’t think I could stand it! Coffee is more to my taste in that regard
Let me know what you think if you try these!
Dear Hannah,
Thanks so much for this unique recipe:) I’ve been thinking about making these delicious balls (I read about them in an earlier post) but as it was summer and too hot (over 30 degrees Celsius here in Bulgaria) I never made them and then your today’s post reminded me of them and Wow! They’re even better than they look! And have nothing to do with the ten different types of fruit balls I make, which makes them even more amazing – new tastes are always welcome, especially when they’re so good:)
Thanks again!
Dessi
Dessi, I’m so delighted and thrilled by your comment! And I’m also incredibly excited to think I have a reader in Bulgaria
It’s wonderful that these were a welcome new taste for you, as I have found that sometimes a lot of fruit-nut balls taste very similar.
Hurrah! I’m so happy you liked these
I came across this recipe after having launched an energy ball product (www.coconutzfuel.com) and am happy to see other people seeing the value of energy in the form of balls.
I definitely love the mango aspect.
DEAR HANNAH,
I NOMALLY GET MY ENERGY FROM ENERGY DRINKS BUT I HAVE STOPPED DINKING ENERGY DRINKS ALL TOGETHER BECAUSE THE BALLS HAVE ALL THE ENERGY THAT I NEED FOR THE DAY! =)
SO THANKS HUN! =D LOVE BikiniBeachBabe!
I’m so glad you like them! Yay!
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