Almond Coconut Bites

I created this recipe after reading The Kind Diet book on veganism, by Alicia Silverstone. She called her dessert "Raw Balls," which sounds unappetizing compared to how tasty they are. My recipe is better :)

Almond Coconut No-Bake Bites

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
approximately 1 cup unsweetened, no salt almond butter (see Note)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Pulse the almonds in a food processor until no large pieces remain. Place the ground almonds in a large skillet (don't turn on the heat just yet). Pulse the oats in a food processor until finely ground. Add oats to the same skillet as the ground almonds. Add sunflower seeds and coconut to the same skillet. Over medium-low heat, toast the almond/oat/sunflower seed/coconut mixture until it becomes fragrant and the coconut appears slightly golden, stirring often, about five to seven minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool while you do the next step.

In a medium-large-ish bowl, add remaining ingredients (1 cup almond butter through sea salt) and stir until well combined. Add the toasted skillet mixture to the bowl with the almond butter mixture and stir until it all holds together. Note: if the mixture is too dry and doesn't hold together, try adding more almond butter by the tablespoon until it does.

Using a soup spoon, shape into smooth balls that are slightly smaller than golf balls. You should have about 20-24 in the end. Refrigerate until ready to eat.