Here I am today with another delicious quick, easy and healthy snack recipe for the family. Lemon Pie Energy Balls. Guilt free, simple to make and using all natural ingredients and natural sugars this energy ball recipe gives you a snack that is loaded with protein, nutrition and natural sugars.
You can feel good about feeding these to your family. They are high in fiber and nutrition, and they taste really delicious!
My sister and I have been trying out all sorts of energy balls this year in an attempt to curb our snacking on dangerous things like potato chips and cake. I know, that is a tall order as both of those things are just so darned tasty! I am only human. I do enjoy cake and potato chips are my favorite food group.
And there is nothing wrong with having either of those things occasionally, but if you are wanting to reach for a snack that is nutritionally loaded and filled with natural rather than highly processed sugars, then energy balls are the way to go.
You can make up a variety of them and keep then in the freezer, ready to take out when the craving hits. right now, I have these, Gingerbread balls and some Strawberry Cream balls sitting in my freezer, ready and waiting for my snacking cravings to kick in.
You do need a food processor to make them. A heavy duty one will grind up the nuts and dried fruit much more easily. I have a Ninja 1000 watt one and it makes short work of the process. I really love it and can highly recommend it. It has no bells and whistles. It is just a simple food processor. That's all I need.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LEMON PIE ENERGY BALLS
Only six ingredients (lemon zest and juice count as one) and a food processor required. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. No pun intended.
- 1 cup (150g) pitted medjool dates
- 1 cup (111g) raw cashew nuts
- 1/4 cup (20g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- the finely grated zest of one lemon
- the juice of 1/2 lemon
You will also need:
- additional unsweetened desiccated coconut to roll the balls in
Cashews and dates are not cheap ingredients for sure. I tend to stock up on them when they are on offer. The last time I bought raw cashew nuts (not roasted or salted) I got a huge bag for $24 which was $5 off the normal price. It will last a long time. I usually store my nuts in the freezer.
Make sure your coconut is unsweetened. You can do it with sweetened coconut but this will reduce the health benefits of the balls.
I make my own vanilla extract from scratch. It has only two ingredients. Vanilla Beans and Vodka. It also lasts a long time.
Scrub your lemons really well before you use them to get rid of any debris or dirt on them.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON PIE ENERGY BALLS
Nothing could be easier. A food processor makes these energy balls quick and very simple to make.
Place all of your ingredients into the bowl of a high-power food processor. Process on high, pulsing as needed, until a dough forms. Stop periodically to scrape down the sides.
Carefully remove the blade of the food processor and then roll the dough into 12 evenly sized balls between the palms of your hands. I find slightly wetting my hands helps this process.
Roll the balls in additional coconut. I put only a small amount in a bowl and then topped it up as needed so as not to waste too much coconut at the end.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze these in a covered container. They will keep for several months. You can also eat them right from the freezer. (Just saying!) It will take you longer to eat one frozen than not frozen.
WHY YOU NEED TO MAKE ENERGY BALLS
1. They are quick and easy to make, requiring only a few steps and minimal effort.
2. They are loaded with flavor and nutrients and are quite versatile. They can very easily be customized by adding different flavors or rolling them in different ingredients.
3. They are perfect for tucking into lunch boxes. Perfectly portable and they won't spoil if kept unrefrigerated all day.
4. They are a much healthier snack option than cookies, cakes or potato chips and promise just as much when it comes to snacking satisfaction. At least for me anyways!
5. They satisfy the craving without leading you to overindulge. These are practically guilt free.
I really am enjoying these. I keep them in the freezer and only take a few out at a time so that they last longer. They really do taste a bit like lemon pie, minus the meringue. There is a beautiful tartness and a nice sweet that goes along very nicely.
It's nice to know that when I am craving something sweet there is something a bit healthier than chocolate or cake that I can reach for!
Here are a few more snacks that you might enjoy making for your family. The first one is healthier than the second one for sure, but both are incredibly tasty and simple to make.
.JPG "No Bake Lemon Coconut Balls")
NO BAKE LEMON COCONUT BALLS - Little bites of heaven. No bake. No fuss. No muss. Fairly healthy, and using only a few simple ingredients. These tasty little lemon balls melt in the mouth.
PEANUT BUTTER CUP RITZ CRACKERS - Two simple ingredients, put together in the simplest and most delicious way! Yes, only two ingredients. Easy to make and oh-so-tasty. These are really popular!
Yield: One Dozen balls
Lemon Pie Energy Balls
Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min
Delicious little snack balls that are easy to make and require no cooking. High in fiber and containing only natural ingredients. You will need a food processor to make these tasty treats! Time noted does not include the time it will take to roll the dough into balls.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (150g) pitted medjool dates
- 1 cup (111g) raw cashew nuts
- 1/4 cup (20g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- the finely grated zest of one lemon
- the juice of 1/2 lemon
You will also need:
- additional unsweetened desiccated coconut to roll the balls in
Instructions
- Place all of your ingredients into the bowl of a high power food processor. Process on high, pulsing as needed, until a dough forms. Stop periodically to scrape down the sides.
- Carefully remove the blade of the food processor and then roll the dough into 12 evenly sized balls between the palms of your hands.
- Roll the balls in additional coconut.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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These loaded air fryer nachos come together quickly and easily in the air fryer and can be on your table in not much more than eight minutes; I kid you not!! With the added bonus of keeping the temperature in your kitchen on the cool side! Something we all want to do in the heat of the summer months!
The first time I ever enjoyed nachos was at my sister's place back in the late 1980's. I had never had them before. We were down visiting her family one weekend, and she made nachos for supper. She had four children of her own and I had five. Add on four adults, and that is a heck of a lot of nachos!
It was love at first bite! I have been making my own nachos ever since!
One thing I really love about nachos is how very versatile and adaptable they are! You can top them with literally anything. Today I had some crispy chicken tenders leftover and I added them to make Crispy Chicken Nachos! Tres Delicious!
I just layered everything up on my air fryer, which was quickly done, and then popped it all into the air fryer for about three minutes. Just long enough to heat things through and melt the cheese. It took me longer to chop things up than it did to cook these!
The air fryer I have here at home is the Kuraidori Multifunctional Digital Air Fryer. It is quite a large air fryer and came with a large basket, which is great for doing chips, as well as two racks and an oven rack, bottom tray, baking tin and rotisserie attachment.
I have never had any problems with it at all. I purchased it from my local Home Hardware and have been using it for several years now without any problems. I also purchased one as a thank you gift for my sister and she loves hers as well, and uses it all the time.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AIR FRYER NACHOS
All of the ingredients in the list are just suggestions. You can always adapt these simple nachos to your own taste as you wish! You could add ground beef, olives, refried beans, etc. You do you!
- 2 cups of tortilla chips (about 100g)
- 1 1/2 cup (125g) grated cheddar cheese blend
- 1 spring onion finely chopped
- 1/4 each red, green and yellow bell peppers, chopped
- 6 cherry tomatoes diced
- 2 cooked crispy chicken tenders, chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
- a bit of extra cheese to sprinkle
To serve:
- Sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc.
WHY USE THE AIR FRYER
The number one reason for using an air fryer to make your nachos is that it helps to keep the heat out of the kitchen. There is no turning on the oven.
Secondly, they cook in virtually just a few minutes compared to the time taken to do them in the oven. This is because the hot air in the air fryer circulates around the chips, heating them from the top down and from the bottom up!
Third, if you line your basket/tray properly there is next to no clean up involved. Just rinse and dry.
HOW TO MAKE NACHOS IN THE AIR FRYER
It's not all that hard and you can really adapt them to use ingredients that you and your family really love!
Preheat your air fryer to 350*F/180*C. I have a tray in mine, and I lined it with some baking paper. If you have a basket do the same.
Place half of the chips on the bottom of the tray/basket, making sure there are no gaps.
Top with 1/2 of the cheese, onions, peppers, tomatoes and chopped chicken tenders. Add a few jalapeno slices.
Repeat the layer with the remaining chips, etc.
Air fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
Serve hot with your favorite accompaniments on the side.
I was really pleased with how very easy these nachos were to make and how little clean up afterwards was involved. I loved that my kitchen didn't get overheated as well.
I think perfect timings make all the difference in the world when it comes to cooking in the air fryer. Also keeping an eye on things as they progress. They can go very quickly from perfection to cremation. The timings on this recipe were absolutely perfect.
I enjoyed a plate of these for my dinner along with some mild salsa and some sour cream.
I use my air fryer a lot in the warmer months. It helps to keep the heat out of the kitchen. Here are a few other air fryer favorites that we enjoy here in my kitchen!!
CRISPY AIR FRYER CHIPS - These are really very simple to make. There is no fussing about with having to soak potatoes or parboil. Just peel, cut, toss with a few simple ingredients and then pop into the air fryer! You will need an air fryer with a basket for these. Crisp, golden brown and delicious!
AIR FRYER CINNAMON ROLLS - Crisp on the outside with a delicious flaky crumb inside with beautiful cinnamon layers. These are a fabulous way to start off the day and the smell of them cooking is sure to get everybody out of bed pronto! No fuss, no muss, easy peasy!
Yield: 2 servings
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Nachos
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 3 MinTotal time: 8 Min
Easy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor and texture. I could have a plate of these for my supper and nothing else and be quite happy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of tortilla chips (about 100g)
- 1 1/2 cup (125g) grated cheddar cheese blend
- 1 spring onion finely chopped
- 1/4 each red, green and yellow bell peppers, chopped
- 6 cherry tomatoes diced
- 2 cooked crispy chicken tenders, chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
- a bit of extra cheese to sprinkle
To serve:
- Sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350*F/180*C. I have a tray in mine, and I lined it with some baking paper. If you have a basket do the same.
- Place half of the chips on the bottom of the tray/basket, making sure there are no gaps.
- Top with 1/2 of the cheese, onions, peppers, tomatoes and chopped chicken tenders. Add a few jalapeno slices.
- Repeat the layer with the remaining chips, etc.
- Air fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
- Serve hot with your favorite accompaniments on the side.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
I have to admit I am fairly new to the Alfredo game. Alfredo flavors are not typically anything I have ever explored in the past. It's only been recently that I have been playing with them. I made a Baked Broccoli Alfredo Rigatoni a few weeks back and really liked the flavors.
I am back today with another twist on Alfredo in the form of this tasty Alfredo Meatball recipe, which consists of some tasty meatballs made with ground chicken and served in a lush and rich Alfredo sauce. It is a recipe I adapted from This Is Not Diet Food.
On a side note, how is that girl so skinny? Her recipes are all lush and loaded with the good stuff. The kind of stuff that gets me into trouble! ha ha
I can't get over how expensive beef has gotten here where I live lately. Unless you have unlimited funds, it is not something that many people can afford. Maybe for a special occasion or if it is really marked down you might splurge, but I find myself taking one look at the beef in the shops lately and wincing past it as it is right out of my budget most of the time.
I am having to look for alternatives to use instead of beef, which is one of the things which drew me to this recipe. Ground chicken, at the moment, is one of the cheaper options. Even the extra lean ground chicken.
I wasn't sure if I would like the texture of ground chicken. I do eat ground turkey a lot, but I have never cooked with ground chicken. I was pleasantly surprised. It was actually very nice.
All of the flavors and textures of this dish were spot on. I did take the liberty of cutting the recipe in half as there is only me in the house.
Quick and easy to make. Delicious and economical to boot! You can't go wrong with this one. Tender and juicy well flavored chicken meatballs in a lush, rich alfredo sauce. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ALFREDO MEATBALLS
Actually, really only a few simple ingredients. With the exception of the ground chicken, you probably have everything you need in the kitchen to be able to make these simple meatballs today! This is a small batch recipe. Simply double the ingredients to serve more people.
For the meatballs:
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces/225g) lean ground chicken
- 1/4 cup (31g) dry Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 TBS whole milk
- 1 large egg yolk (freeze the white for another use)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
For the Alfredo Sauce:
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 1/2 TBS minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream
- 1 TBS Italian seasoning
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/3 cup (60g) grated Parmesan cheese
True confession here. I did not have Italian breadcrumbs. I added 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning to make up for it. It did the trick. Make sure you use garlic powder and NOT garlic salt. The two are not the same thing!
Try to grate your own Parmesan cheese if you can, or if using pre-grated make sure you use a quality one and not that stuff in the green can. (Just saying!)
In North America use Whipping Cream. In the U.K. use double cream. Both will work very well.
It may seem like a lot of garlic in the sauce, but Alfredo is a very garlicky sauce.
I freeze my egg whites singularly in a very small container, pop them out and then pop them into an airtight baggie in the freezer. That way I can take out as many or as few as I want to at any given time. They are great for Pavolva or Angel Food Cake!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN ALFREDO MEATBALLS
These went together very quickly and were relatively easy to make. This is sure to become a favorite. You can make the meatballs ahead of time if you wish and then just reheat them in the sauce. Feeling lazy? You can use a bottled Alfredo sauce to save even further on time and effort. You decide!
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a medium sized baking tray with some baking parchment.
Crumble the ground chicken into a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, milk, egg yolk, salt, pepper, garlic powder and grated Parmesan cheese. Combine well together.
Wet your hands and shape the mixture into 10 balls. It will be sticky. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving an inch between each ball. (This is quite a sticky mixture and wetting your hands makes shaping them a lot easier.)
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165*F/74*C.
While the meatballs are baking make the sauce.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once it begins to foam add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the heavy cream, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper, whisking everything together well.
Bring to a simmer and then simmer over medium low heat for 6 to 10 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese until it melts.
Fold in the cooked meatballs, stirring to coat them in the sauce. Leave to sit for a few minutes before serving. Serve over pasta or rice. Delicious!
I wasn't really sure if I would like the texture of meatballs made with ground chicken. Probably because I don't like hotdogs made with chicken. I was pleasantly surprised. These were simply lovely! They had a beautiful flavor and texture. The sauce was lovely and rich. The two together were really delicious!
I serve them on some Mafalda pasta. (I am trying to use the pasta in my cupboard before I buy any more.) All you would need to go along with this tasty dish is perhaps a salad on the side!
Meatballs don't always have to be made from beef or pork. Although this was my first time making them with ground chicken, I have often made meatballs in the past from ground turkey. Here are some of my favorite ways to prepare them!
TURKEY PARMESAN MEATBALLS - Tender and juicy meatballs made with ground turkey, Italian herbs, and Parmesan cheese. Slathered in a tasty marinara sauce and baked beneath a blanket of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Delicious!
TURKEY MEATBALLS AND LEMON RICE - This is one of my favorite turkey meatball recipes. Tasty and tender turkey meatballs with a lovely vegetable and lemon rice pilaf. All you need is perhaps a salad on the side. This is pretty much a meal in one. Delicious!
Yield: 10 meatballs
Chicken Alfredo Meatballs
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min
Very simple to make recipe with tender and juicy well flavored chicken meatballs in a rich and easy to make Alfredo Sauce. Serve with your favorite pasta!
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces/225g) lean ground chicken
- 1/4 cup (31g) dry Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 TBS whole milk
- 1 large egg yolk (freeze the white for another use)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
For the Alfredo Sauce:
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 1/2 TBS minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream
- 1 TBS Italian seasoning
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/3 cup (60g) grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a medium sized baking tray with some baking parchment.
- Crumble the ground chicken into a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, milk, egg yolk, salt, pepper, garlic powder and grated Parmesan cheese. Combine well together.
- Wet your hands and shape the mixture into 10 balls. It will be sticky. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving an inch between each ball.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165*F/74*C.
- While the meatballs are baking make the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once it begins to foam add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the heavy cream, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper, whisking everything together well.
- Bring to a simmer and then simmer over medium low heat for 6 to 10 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese until it melts.
- Fold in the cooked meatballs, stirring to coat them in the sauce. Leave to sit for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve over pasta or rice. Delicious!
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This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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