Have you ever been on the hunt for a delicious, homemade treat that your mother, son, aunt, grandpa, brother-in-law, second cousin twice removed, stranger up the street, best friend’s dog ok EVERYONE will love? Well your hunt is over. Not only are these energy bites absolutely addicting delicious, they are simple to make (no-bake!), nutritious, and easy to adapt to your individual taste.
I had heard of energy bites before but never tried them until my sister-in-law brought these to a family dinner. We haven’t stopped making them since!
They can be eaten straight out of the bowl (bad habit) or ideally formed into balls to be consumed later in a very controlled manner ;). (NOT pictured below: the large, very practically EMPTY bowl of energy bite batter these two munchkins devoured while their parents were being inattentive :/ Good thing they left enough for a few pictures :). Haha) We like to freeze ours and then let them thaw for a few minutes at room temperature (as to save our teeth) before eating them. But they are also good stored in the fridge.
I love these energy bites because they really do give me energy! I can go from being a starving, agitated, blood-sugar-dropping mama to feeling contented and ready to roll again in a matter of minutes after eating one or two of these. They are a great balance of protein, sweetness, and healthy fats that will keep you satisfied faster and longer than most snacks do.
You can experiment using different types of seed or nut butters, dried fruit, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or any other add-ins you can think of!
We make ours using natural peanut butter (no sugar added) so you may want to adjust the honey if you are using some that already has sugar or other sweeteners in it.
If you’re not familiar with chia seeds or ground flax, they can be found at most grocery stores (I’ve seen them at Wal-Mart, Costco, Smith’s…). And they are superfoods! Both are great sources of fiber and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Chia seeds are also a good source of plant protein. (Just do a little Google search and you’ll find all kinds of good info about them! So you don’t have to feel totally awful about eating too many of them. ;))
Here’s to a delicious, nutritious 2016!
Kellie
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1¼ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.
- Once combined add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. (If too sticky, add more dry ingredients such as oats.)
- Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove from fridge, scoop out dough, and roll into balls.
- Place balls in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge or freezer for a quick and easy snack.
- I always double this recipe since we love them so much and they freeze so well!
