Best flexible trail fuel: Vegan Energy Ball Variations

Don’t you just love it when you set the bar just right—not so high you’re bound to be bummed you didn’t have quite so much fun as you thought you would have, but not so low you secretly know you’ve been aiming down just to avoid disappointment, thereby ensuring an edge of frustration with yourself for all the time wasted dreading or deploring said low bar? It’s a fine balance, but sometimes we plan, wait, and eagerly anticipate, and everything works out like sunshine and rainbows. That’s how it was with finally getting to do the Boulder Skyline Traverse, fueled by these super snacks.

OK, I have a lot of work to do on this blog, with figuring out how to work in “jump to recipe” links and printable recipe cards being top of the list. It’s going to happen. But, it’s not going to happen today, so anyone looking for a great base and some fun variations for energy bites (power balls, vegan truffles, whatever you want to call them), go ahead and scroll right now, because here comes a ramble.

For years, I wanted to take on the iconic Boulder route, consisting of five peaks spanning approximately 17 miles and close to 6,000 feet of elevation gain, but I was put off by logistics. More significantly, I was deterred by my complete and utter lack of sense of direction. So, in 2020, my dear friend Mary (who is much better at orientation) and I decided we’d plan the excursion together. Ideally, it was going to be a trial/warmup for a much bigger adventure we had in mind for later, and also a 40th birthday celebration of sorts. Then, with all the fluctuations that came with Covid, plans got pushed, and pushed again. Finally, last Thursday, Mary flew in from Maine, and like the super tough trooper she is took on the altitude the next day without a wobble or a shake. I’m more than a little in awe.

I won’t go through all the nitty-gritty of the day, because this is a food blog and I’ve got a recipe to get to, but for anyone who could use a brief overview of sorts for their own day out traversing, here goes:

After walking the dog and prepping the lunchbox for my second grader to lighten the load for Dad, Mary and I headed out at about 6:30 am in two cars. We dropped one at the Mt. Sanitas Trailhead then continued on in the other to South Mesa Trailhead in order to get the biggest, and most rewarding climb in first.

We took the Homestead Trail to Shadow Canyon, running on flat and rolling bits and hiking all the steep stuff. The last time I’d hiked the 3,000 foot climb to South Boulder Peak it was totally snow-packed, and this morning was dry, so I got a little boost at noting that we were moving quicker than anticipated. I guess the trees sheltered us quite well, because when we got to the saddle, wow was it windy! We weren’t cold, but I was grateful for my lightweight windproof and hood. It was also very striking to see the burnt remnants of the recent wildfire, one of several sobering events occuring well before typical fire season.

After enjoying the view from the peak, we headed back to the saddle and crossed over to Bear Peak. Along the way we made a friend, Eileen, who was taking on the traverse with the exception of Sanitas that day. It was wonderful getting out on a Friday—it was trafficked just enough to get some friendly vibes and directions (which, it turns out, we needed quite a lot), and quiet enough to enjoy peace, serenity, and openness.

From Bear Peak, we doubled back and would have descended immediately via Bear Peak West Ridge Trail, only we got lulled into naturally following a “main” path for a bit that turned out to be leading into Fern Canyon. Luckily, a seasoned hiker/samaritan helped us get our bearings again. Once on the correct trail, it was very runnable and beautiful most of the way to Green. We took Green Bear Trail to Green Mountain West Ridge trail to the summit. While the trail was quite clear, it wasn’t incredibly marked, and when we saw a truck parked at a private road offshoot, we felt a brief moment of flailing uncertainty, but overall felt good about our staying the course. There was a creek midway where we were able to use my filter (thank you, Davy) and top up our water—the water looked mucky and was brimming with bugs, but the filter was a treat! It yielded the clearest, coldest, most delicious sips.

From the Green Summit, we backtracked to Ranger Trail, which descended roughly a mile before forking left toward Flagstaff Road. Leading up to this day, I’d read so many blogs and descriptions that emphasized how underwhelming Flagstaff summit was that it was inevitably much more pleasant than expected. I’d readied myself for a tedious slog. Instead, I found myself musing over the prettiness of the trail…until we started descending from Flagstaff. That’s when I realized that all those blogs and accounts were written after the traverse was completed.

That section of the day did indeed feel tiresome and at times frustrating, with many unmarked, parallel trails. You kind of just have to wind your way down, crossing the road multiple times until finally arriving at View Point Trail and eventually arriving at Eben G. Fine Park. It felt very easy to get lost. In fact, there was a point where we almost made a real error, which would have spit us out at Chatauqua. Luckily, Mary’s mapping skills saved us just in time, and we realized we had to follow the signs to Panorama Point, which brought us to the Flagstaff House restaurant. (It smelled really good.)

By the time we reached Eben G. Fine Park, the day was heating up, and the spirit became more of ticking a box than adventurous and uplifting, but it was still also awesome. After getting over Red Rocks, we stopped at the car for a snack and water, then trudged our way up and down Sanitas to cap off the day. Hooray!

So, to the point of this post, at least ostensibly, which is energy bites. I’m telling you, these did not fail. There couldn't be a more forgiving subject to play around with than energy balls, could there? No matter what you throw in, or how you roll, you just can't mess up--although I made a huge mess trying out six flavors from one batch of base: zesty lemon, chai latte, dirty chai, oatmeal cookie, golden milk, and coconut lime. It was worth it, though. Each batch makes approximately 15 bites; I made a double batch for our trip, and divided that into the six flavors, modifying the addend amounts (listed here per 1 batch).

Easy to pop into your mouth, smooth on digestion, and super fuel, these balls sustained the day (as well as the scenery and the fabulous company). Yes, I did discover my limit for just how many dates I can handle in one day, but I enjoyed every bite. The variety was bliss.

Recipe below (finally), but first a few quick takeaways on the day: 1) I really need to get better at mapping. As in, I need to finally become at least a little competent at reading maps. At all. Not my thing—and I’m thankful it’s Mary’s, and that we pulled it off. 2) It’s never been more critical to do all we can to protect our precious planet. Finally, and most importantly, 3) Friendships that endure across years and miles and always pick up like you were hanging out just yesterday are simply priceless. The scenery was stunning, the challenge invigorating, but it was the company of a soul-friend that made the day most memorable.

Enjoy these bites! I hope they fuel a whole lot of joyful exploration. xo

Easy Vegan Energy Balls
approximately 15 per batch

For the base:
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and soaked
1/3 Cup nut butter of choice
1/3 Cup oats, other grain, or hearty staple
Flavor addends, plus ingredients for rolling (see below)

Zesty lemon: 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1-2 Teaspoons lemon zest, 1/4 unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/4 Cup almond flour (shredded coconut for rolling)

Oatmeal raisin cookie: Increase oats to 1/2 Cup, 1/2 Cup raisins, 1/4 Cup dairy-free chocolate mini chips (optional), 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

Chai Tea Latte: 1/4 Cup almond flour, 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 Teaspoon ground ginger and 1/2 Teaspoon grated ginger root (optional), 1/4 Teaspoon ground cardamom, pinch of nutmeg

Dirty Chai: same as above, but add vegan chocolate mini chips, plus 1-2 Tablespoons cacao powder, extra for rolling

Golden Milk: Increase oats to 2/3 Cup, 2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal, 1/2 Teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, Turmeric, and Ginger, 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla, sesame seeds for rolling

Coconut lime: 1/4 Cup almond flour, 1 Tablespoon lime juice, 1-2 Teaspoons lime zest, 1/3 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for rolling.

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until they form a dough-like consistency that pulls away from the sides. Adjust flavors and consistency as needed. Roll into balls and coat as desired. Store in an airtight container in fridge or freezer, and enjoy!

*If you’re not varying one basic base, try this superb Vegan Truffle Trio created for Organic India USA!