Carrot Cake Low Carb Energy Balls | Vegan & Keto
Veggie-Packed Low Carb Energy Balls – Keto No Bake Dessert!
Even though I’m not much of a cake-loving gal (more so a cookie fanatic), there’s one cake that I truly love: carrot cake. Plus, it’s a tasty way to fit more veggies in my day! Just kidding…but I WISH that were true. Luckily, I can enjoy crave-able carrot cake goodness AND actual vegetables in these no bake low carb energy balls!
Between the carrot shreds, grated zucchini, and sweet potato, each of these little no bake energy bites is bursting with color, fiber, and wholesome nutrients. And, instead of oats or a grain-based flour, these low carb energy balls are made with coconut flour and coconut shreds!
It’s a simple swap, but it keeps the carbs low and makes these treats keto friendly, gluten free, grain free, and paleo. Best of all, the dense, crumbly texture of coconut flour gives each bite an authentic, cake-y feel!
Sneaking VEGGIES into Low Carb Energy Balls?!
Vegetables and dessert just don’t go together. Or…do they? Remember, these are carrot cake low carb energy balls, so they have to have SOME carrot in them!
And, even if zucchini seems surprising, it’s actually used to add moisture in some baking recipes. You can’t even taste it in these low carb energy balls, but it makes them SO creamy and satisfying. Plus, zucchini is very nutrient-dense—rich in wholesome vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants but very low in calories!
Finally, there’s the sweet potato, which is a totally dessert-worthy vegetable because of its delicious natural sweetness! Sweet potato pie, anyone? Really, you only need a few tablespoons of mashed sweet potato to help hold these low carb energy balls together, so it doesn’t add a ton of carbs.
And, the slow-digesting carbs in sweet potato don’t cause dramatic blood sugar spikes like the refined grains and sugars in traditional desserts. But, that little bit adds a whole lot of luscious creaminess and comforting flavor. It also gives your carrot cake bites a fun, naturally-orange color!
Packing More Energy into No Bake Energy Bites
Along with their veggie-packed goodness, these low carb energy balls are also fruit-packed. Both coconut flour and coconut shreds come from dried coconut meat. And, despite its naturally sweet, tropical taste, coconut one of the lowest sugar fruits. Perfect for a low carb flour!
Plus, the rich fats in coconut make it an all-star ingredient for keto snacks and low carb desserts. Although coconut flour needs to be de-fatted, the coconut shreds still contain the wholesome saturated fats found in the fruit. Altogether, they pack 7 grams of nutritious fats into these low carb energy balls!
In particular, coconut is rich in fast-absorbing medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Rather than storing them, the body can use these fats immediately for energy! ’Cause they’re low carb energy balls—get it?
Sweet Yet Low Carb Treats
By using a natural low carb sweetener like erythritol, you can keep these your low carb energy balls totally free of added sugars. Or, you can use stevia if you prefer. Whichever you choose, opt for a low carb sweetener for a truly low carb treat.
Best of all, between the veggies and the coconut, each serving of these low carb energy balls has 8 grams of fiber! And, only 8 grams of net carbs per serving—about 1 gram per energy ball!
Low Carb & Vegan Recipes Galore
Find TONS more healthy recipes in my Meal Prep Recipes: Low Carb Edition eBook and my 100+ Healthy Vegan Recipes eBook!
Carrot Cake Low Carb Energy Balls
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3-4 Tbsp erythritol, or sweetener of choice
- pinch of salt
- 2 Tbsp sweet potato mash, fresh or canned
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup zucchini shreds, squeezed dry
- ¼ cup carrot shreds
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut shreds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sweetener, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add sweet potato, vanilla, and water. Mix to combine.
- Fold in zucchini, carrot, and shredded coconut.
- Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes.
- Roll into balls—I used a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop to portion them, then rolled/pressed them together with my hands.
- Serve and enjoy immediately, or store in the fridge!
- Pack in a cool lunchbox and these will last until lunch time!
- Yields ~24-26 low carb energy balls.
