No-Bake Energy Bites

It seems like forever ago, a friend, Alison, posted a recipe on Facebook for these No-Bake Energy Bites and we thought they would be a hit with Maisie.  That thought was immediately confirmed when Alison shared some of the ones she made with Maisie and she begged to make them that very night!  We have made these bites numerous times and they’re still a requested favorite.  They are simple to make and hold up well in her lunch and gym snack bags. 

The original recipe came from Maggie’s blog, Smashed Peas & Carrots, where she states “You can substitute almost anything for any of the ingredients to work around food allergies, special diets, etc. Soybutter, almond butter, cashew butter, sun butter, etc all works in place of peanut butter. You can use creamed or liquid honey, or agave nectar or even maltitol syrup in place of the honey. If you do not like or cannot eat coconut try some type of crushed cereal, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, granola, cocoa powder...the possibilities are really endless. If you cannot find ground flaxseed you can buy it whole and grind it yourself in a coffee grinder or magic bullet or you can substitute any other dry ingredient in it's place. Yes, the mini chocolate chips can be regular sized or carob or you can use raisins, cranberries, goji berries, or crushed nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, whatev) of some kind.”  We have stuck to the recipe below because it’s a winner in Maisie’s book but if you try other options, let us know what you did and how they turned out!

No-Bake Energy Bites  (from here)

• 1 cup oatmeal 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter  (or other nut butter)
• 1/3 cup honey  
• 1 cup coconut flakes  
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed   
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate bits  
• 1 tsp vanilla 

In a medium bowl, mix everything above together until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Enjoy!