This week: a recipe from childhood

My parents have been visiting this week, a very welcome distraction for my son as he recovers from his chicken pox and lovely company for me too. Yesterday my mum made some 'energy balls' with my son. This is a recipe she made when I was younger and whilst I have given up refined sugar for Lent, I thought of these for a sweet treat and they are super-easy and quick to make.

As I later bit into one, it sent me back to my childhood and consequently, I enjoyed it all the more. It made me think of when my mum used to work in a wholefood shop and I sometimes would go there with her and play upstairs in the stock room, surrounded by packets of grains, dried fruits and such like. I loved it! It also made me reminisce of simple, happy, everyday family life when my older brothers were still at home and I felt adored and secure.

Back to the 'energy balls' themselves.... They could probably be called something more sophisticated like carob truffles, as in appearance they resemble dark chocolate truffles. To us, they've always been known as energy balls and we believe in their ability to give us an energy boost!! For those of you unfamiliar with carob, it's a sort of cocoa / chocolate substitute and comes from the pods of a carob tree.

My mother got the recipe from a friend many years ago. It's a simple combination of only four ingredients, with no cooking required and the energy balls are ready to eat as soon as you've made them. Here's the recipe:

Use any sized spoon, depending on quantity you want to make. With a tablespoon as I have suggested here, you get around 10-12 balls. If you wanted to try to see if you like them first, simply use a teaspoon for a small amount to sample.

1 tablespoon each of:

• smooth peanut butter (I don't even like peanut butter but you can't taste it in the finished product. You could probably substitute with almond butter or similar if desired)
• honey
• tahini (ground sesame seed paste
• carob powder (found in most health stores, Planet Organic, Whole Foods etc).

Combine the ingredients, adding the carob powder last. Mix well, until you have a smooth, even-coloured thick paste. Take a teaspoon and roll into a small ball shape and voila!

You could also add in raisins or chopped nuts.

Store in the refrigerator.

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Is there a recipe from your childhood that you still enjoy now in adulthood and that brings back particular memories?