Poppy Seed Balls – Only 4 Ingredients

Well, thank you very much, Purim.

I can't even tell you how many Hamantaschen I've eaten.

Don't ask.

But I have a confession.

I hope you're sitting down: I am absolutely crazy about poppy seeds.

There, I said it.

Hamantaschen or poppy seed cakes really do it for me.

Maybe it's an age thing (like developing a taste for sparkling water), I don't know.

Aside from the taste and the texture that I love, I’m a huge fan of the incredible nutritional values these little black seeds offer.

Let's talk a bit about nutritional values:

Poppy seeds are a fantastic source of calcium.

In 100g of poppy seeds, there are 1,500 mg of calcium—that's 15 times more than in milk!

Look at this: a single tablespoon of poppy seeds contains as much calcium as a glass of milk.

In addition to the high calcium content, poppy seeds are also calorie-dense due to their high healthy fat content.

How many calories?

In 100g of poppy seeds, there are 500 kcal and 40g of fat.

Poppy seeds also contain high amounts of dietary fiber and minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and potassium.

If that’s not a superfood, I don't know what is.

So, it is highly recommended to add a tablespoon of poppy seeds to your morning porridge or protein shake instead of tahini or peanut butter.

You can also add it to sweet or savory baked goods for a quality boost of calcium and fat.

And here’s an idea (remember where you read it first): Poppy Seed Tahini!!!

A bit about the recipe

Honestly, this recipe is very easy.

I used half a cup of poppy seeds, finely ground in a spice grinder.

If you don't have such a grinder, go get one—or if your blender is powerful enough to grind poppy seeds, you're all set.

To bind the mixture together, I used half a cup of *white* raw tahini (not whole grain).

The reason is that whole grain raw tahini is slightly bitter, and combining it with poppy seeds can result in a bitter and unpleasant taste.

I sweetened it with 3 tablespoons of coconut sugar because it gives a slightly nutty and deep flavor. You can use any sweetener you desire.

Nutritional values by Nutritionist and Fitness Trainer Noam Bachar:

One ball out of 20 (weighing 10g per ball) contains:

40 kcal

1g protein

3g carbohydrates

3g fat

29 mg calcium

Print

Poppy Seed Balls

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 20 balls

Calories 40 kcal

Ingredients

• 60 g Poppy seeds 1/2 cup
• 50 g White raw tahini 1/2 cup
• 3 tbsp Coconut sugar
• Shredded coconut for coating
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 squeeze Lemon juice
• 1 pinch Salt

Instructions

1. In a spice grinder, grind the poppy seeds well until a sticky paste is formed.

   

2. Mix all ingredients except for the shredded coconut into a uniform, sticky mixture and refrigerate for one hour.

3. After an hour, use your hands to form small balls weighing 9-10g each.

4. Coat with shredded coconut and enjoy!