Easy Recipe for Energy Balls that are loaded with plant based protein, fiber and healthy fats. A great pick-me-up!
‘Tis the season for being over-scheduled. It’s December and everything seems to be on fast forward! Am I right, or am I right? Moving just a bit to quickly in every category, and what’s missing tends to be energy. Hectic times call for taking the time to properly nourish. Simple energy bites can be made in less than 10 minutes and will provide the energy you need without the crash that comes from indulging in sugary processed food.
Energy bites are easy to make with just a few pantry staples and a food processor. You can whip up a batch and throw them in the fridge or the freezer.
Simple Energy Bites to the rescue!
- Do you need a last minute gift? The edible kind are the best. Pop a few of these in a jar, tie a ribbon around and start gifting.
- Running out the door with no time to make a healthy breakfast.
- That long car ride to visit relatives for the holiday.
- Lack of stamina to power through the afternoon and make it until dinnertime.
- Your energy waning and your session at the gym is coming up.
- You left it all on the mat at the gym and now need a post work-out pick me up.
- That 3-7pm crunch filled with after school activities and no time to run home for a healthy snack.
There is so much to love about this recipe. I look for wholesome and healthy ingredients in my snacks. Protein and Fiber are must have’s for steady energy and satiety. They have great texture and taste, which means everyone will love these simple energy bites. This healthy snack has numerous benefits as well. Move over halva bliss balls, there’s a new girl in town…and she’s got a lot going on.
Simple Energy Bites are:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Good for weight control.
- A great source of Omega 3s, antioxidants and healthy fats.
- Good for your gut.
- Full of soluble fiber which helps reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
- An awesome source of plant based protein.
- A wonderful addition to a diet focused on healthy aging.
- Loaded with antioxidants which help in disease prevention.
Since simple energy bites are no bake and are made with pantry staples, you can whip up a batch of these ON DEMAND. This is a huge bonus during a busy season. If you’re looking for nourishing dinner inspo, try no beef stew or cauliflower lentil soup. Quick. Simple. Satisfying.
Simple Energy Bites
Energy Balls are loaded with plant based protein, fiber and healthy fats. A great pick-me-up!
Ingredients
- 6 fresh medjool dates, pitted*
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup organic rolled oats
- ½ cup coarsely ground flax seeds
- 3 oz. dark chocolate*, coarsely chopped. (approximately 1/2 cup)
- ¼ cup unsweetened and unsulfured dried cherries*
- ½ cup smooth nut or seed butter (I used sunflower seed butter)**
- ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Place dates, nuts, oats and flax in bowl of food processor. Process until crumbly.
- Add in remaining ingredients and blend until well mixed.
- Form into 1-inch balls.
- Makes 30 1-inch energy bites, unless you tend to taste the batter while scooping, then it may make about 2 dozen.
Notes
DATES: I like to buy them with the pits still in because they tend to be moister. If your dates are dry, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes to plump them up, then drain and proceed with recipe as written.
NUT BUTTER: Look for a brand that has only the nut or seed of choice…with no added sweetener or processed oil. Make sure you THOROUGHLY stir the jar before using. Otherwise your energy bites may be too sticky or too dry because of inconsistency in texture.
DARK CHOCOLATE: I used 70%
DRIED FRUIT: Use YOUR Favorite kind. Make sure it is without sulfer or sweetener.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1 ballAmount Per Serving: Calories: 89Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 29mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
Caralyn @ BeautyBeyondBones
These are the perfect healthy treat and pick me up! thanks for sharing!
Debra Klein
I think so too.
Gloria
I think these would be great to have will all the hustle and bustle right now. Running around, shopping, baking, visiting, cooking, wrapping, concerts…ONE LONG DAY!! Bonus points for eating anything healthy this time of year. My grandkids would love to help me make some of these. Perfect for after-school snacks too.
Debra Klein
Yes! Great treat for after school and these are simple enough to make that the grandkids can definitely manage.
Lisa
My daughter, husband and myself love energy bites — little balls of tasty goodness with lots of wholesome ingredients. Our issue is self control. Like a sleeve of thin mints, we’ll plow through a whole batch of these energy balls and these look so perfect, I know they’d only last two seconds around my clan. Do you have any tips on how NOT TO BEHAVE like a Hoover vacuum cleaner around these? I’m really interested!
Debra Klein
Haha…the Hoover vacuum….seriously, I get this question a lot. Often over indulging is a sign of being under nourished (possibly over-fed, and still under nourished)…so make sure you’re properly nourished to start with. I have good success when I leave the batch in the freezer, just taking out a couple at a time.
Tracy
Over scheduled is right… energy bites like this a definitely a life saver during this super busy time! My only problem with them is I usually eat WAY too many because they’re soooo good! But they’re also full of good for your ingredients so I shouldn’t feel too guilty, right?
Debra Klein
LOL….I hear ya….but yes, you still need to consider portion control….too much of a good thing is still too much!
Trish
Oh man things get SO CRAZY this time of year! I’ve got a 2 year old and I know this would be a wonderful snack to give him in between all the treats he’s getting. Such a great idea!
Debra Klein
Exactly. Tastes like a decadent treat, yet super healthy.
Carmy
I feel you with being overscheduled. December is a hard time to keep all the balls in the air. But it’s definitely much easier when there’s food prepped and these energy balls will keep me going!
Debra Klein
Right! No need to suffer….energy balls for all.
Traci
Beautiful, easy, recipe! Bring this one on for that healthy new year that’s right around the corner. I love to make energy bites and pretty much always have enough ingredients on hand to try different recipes. I love your ingredients for this one, and love the tip about soaking the pitted dates in boiling water. I forget to do that, so thanks for the reminder!
Debra Klein
Thanks. If your dates are fresh and still have the pits in them, you shouldn’t need to soak them…but if they seem at all dried up when you take the pits out, soaking will make the energy bites hold together better.
Stefani
Who doesn’t need more energy this time of the year? I love the idea of giving healthy treats to friends and family. These sounds really easy to make! I really want to try your halva bliss balls too. We love halva around here!
Debra Klein
These are a new favorite in our house, but if you like halva, you will go nuts for the halva bliss balls. Same flavor profile, without all the sugar! Try them both and let me know which you prefer!
Dana
I’m DROOLING. I love homemade energy bites and bars like this. You can’t even compare them to store bought—they are SO much better. I especially love that you can mix and match nuts/fruits/sweeteners to change up the flavoring every once in a while. I’m loving your addition of seed butter. That’s something I haven’t tried in my usual go-to recipe before, so I can’t wait to incorporate that into my next batch.
Debra Klein
Yes!! Depending on your choices, these have the perfect texture/crunch profile. A little something in every bite.
Mackenzie
I was first introduced to energy bites last summer, and they are my favorite thing to make when one of my kids is “hangry.” They always seem to curb the cravings just long enough. I love the ingredients in these energy bites and feel good about my kids eating them. Plus, my husband is an avid cyclist and it makes a good on-the-road snack for him while he’s out!
Debra Klein
All great use cases! Thanks for the ideas.
Sues
I’ve been all about the energy bites lately and now I have another version to try! I love all that dark chocolate 🙂
Debra Klein
Same…I’m not sure when I converted from a milk chocolate to a dark chocolate lover, but I’ve never looked back!
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Love that you can tweak these in a variety of ways – but I’d probably go with the cherries nine times out of ten! Something about cherry and dark chocolate is so satisfying for me. Love that these are nice and filling too – perfect for something homemade on the go.
Debra Klein
My thoughts exactly!
Marisa Franca
I really need these ASAP!! For the last few days it seems like I’ve been on warp speed yet not taking the time to eat. And energy bites would be great for kids too. They are always looking for snacks and these treats would not send them on a sugar high. Wholesome and nutritious ingredients are high on my list when I consider snacks. I’m looking forward to making several batches.
Debra Klein
Love a woman who sees a good thing and jumps all in! Enjoy these Marisa!