By Erin Nicole Anderson

Do you ever feel robbed of energy even after drinking several cups of coffee? Does your breakfast leave you feeling unsatisfied or restless? If you are tired of eating processed, refined, nutritionally absent foods filled with preservatives and synthetic flavorings, as well as a heavy-handed complement of white sugar and sodium, listen up.

With convenient packaging, the conventional snack may seem like our friend; however after an hour our blood sugar levels drop and all we want to do is consume more of the same nutrient-lacking foods. This continuous cycle results in unstable energy, an uncontrollable appetite, mood swings, a less-than-radiant appearance, and ultimately, poor health.

The secret to breaking away from this perpetual cycle of eating processed foods is to eat RAW FOODS! This is the solution for anyone craving a satisfying, nutrient-dense, and most importantly, an unprocessed way of eating.

Raw snacks that are unheated, uncooked, and in their natural state are delicious and easy to make. Raw Energy by Stephanie Tourles is an excellent guide to eating raw and provides numerous recipes. A great way to start on this healthy path void of processed foods is to incorporate whole foods like raw nuts, seeds, nut butters, honey, unsulfured dried fruits, coconut, oats, carob, cocoa, freshly extracted juices, nut milks, and all varieties of fresh and frozen raw fruit. These foods aid the digestive system and give skin a healthy glow. Snacks you can prepare include brownies, trail mix, granola bars, smoothies, fruit slushes, crisp vegetable chips, soups and dips. Here is a fairly simple recipe you can try at home.

Chewy Cherry Charger Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup dried, pitted cherries sweetened with apple juice or unsweetened

1 cup raw almond butter

3 tablespoons raw agave nectar or raw honey

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch of sea salt

1. Grind the almonds to a medium texture in a food processer or nut and seed grinder. The almonds should look similar to very coarsely ground Parmesan cheese.

2. Put the almond meal, cherries, almond butter, agave, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt in the medium bowl. Using a large spoon or your hands, thoroughly mix the ingredients until a cohesive dough is formed.

3. Pinch off pieces of the dough and form into balls about 1 ¼ inch in diameter and set aside.

4. For the best flavor and consistency, allow the balls to set for 24 hours before eating. Store the balls in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and consume within 2-3 weeks. They can be individually wrapped using wax-paper or plastic wrap to enjoy to enjoy as portable energy bites.