I know I’m not alone when the munchies hit me HARD from 2-3:30pm each afternoon, and I rarely have healthy snack options around to quell the hunger. Luckily, I have some health-conscious friends who introduced me to the concept of Energy Bites. These small morsels of joy not only give the necessary sweet tooth fix I crave, but also provided a much needed energy boost halfway through the afternoon.

I’ve seen multiple variations of these bites, and look forward to trying all of them. In the interim, I’ve outlined the basic recipe and included some recommended additions. Try it out and let me know what your favorite version is.

Variations to Try:

• Apple Cinnamon (This is the one I’m trying next!)
• Banana Chocolate Chip
• Blueberry Almond

Energy Bites

Ingredients

Staple Base (makes 2 dozen)

• 1 1/4 cup rolled oats (gluten-free for the gluten-intolerant)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup peanut butter 
• 1/4 cup flaxseed, ground
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt

Optional Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup almonds, sliced or chopped
• 1 tbsp coconut shavings
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Pro tip: Make sure you keep the proper proportion of dry to wet ingredients. If the mixture feels too dry, add in a bit more nut butter, honey, chia seeds and flaxseeds. If you’ve blasted through your nut butter and honey reserves, add a little water to activate the chia seeds’ and flaxseeds’ binding power.

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Use a small ice cream scooper or a spoon to shape into small balls.
   

   Pro tip: keep your hands damp to help the ingredients bond and prevent sticking to your hands.

3. Place bites onto a lined cookie sheet (silicon sheets work beautifully), then refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. Energy bites should be refrigerated/eaten within a week, or frozen for up to 3 months. (Like they’ll actually last that long!)