I enjoy cooking and good food, especially when it’s based off of one recipe with many, many variations. Sunday’s are my meal prep days, and these delish, budget-conscious energy bites are in heavy rotation.
My friend Kaitlin Clark, a certified nutrition and wellness consultant and the brains behind Integrative Healing Arts, first made these snacks for me in 2010, and I've made versions of them ever since. The brilliance of these snacks are that they are (1) no bake! (2) suited to whatever ingredients you have on hand and (3) adjusted or modified to your tastes.
Energy Bite add-ins: bee pollen, unsweetened coconut flakes, hemp hearts, chia seeds, walnuts
The basic components:
protein (in the form of nut or seed butters [tahini, almond, sunflower, etc.], ground or chopped nuts or seeds, and/or a scoop or two of your favorite [no to low sugar] protein powder)
something sweet (local honey or maple syrup)
add-ins (like cocoa/cacao, chia seeds, hemp hearts, a pinch of ground flax seeds, green powders/herbs, bee pollen, shredded coconut, mini-chocolate chips, dried or blended fruit like raisins, cranberries, dates or figs, etc.)
They are delicious, no-bake, customizable, and totally worth it.
Have some time today to plan for the week ahead and start eating more mindfully? Check out the two recipes from Kaitlin - the expert - to get started, and check out my preferred combination below. (**Disclaimer: While you should experiment with ingredients in these recipes, please consult with a professional if you have never used certain powders or dried herbs to avoid any complications with medications or triggers to known allergies.**)
Recipe 2: Energy Bites (courtesy of Kaitlin Clark of Integrative Healing Arts)
Ingredients:
2-3 parts (1/2-2/3 c.) ground pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds
1 part (1/2 c.) ginseng root powder
1 part (1/3-1/2 c.) part gingko or gotu kola
1/2 part (1/8 c.) spirulina, greens powder or chlorella
1 cup nut/seed butter (tahini, almond, sunflower, etc.)
1/2 cup local honey (more or less for taste)
Add ons: 1/2 cup crushed almonds, mini vegan chocolate chips, raising, goji berries, etc.
Recipe 1: Brain Bites (courtesy of Kaitlin Clark of Integrative Healing Arts)
Ingredients:
1 cup nut/seed butter (tahini, almond, sunflower, etc.)
1 part (1/2 cup) ginkgo leaf (powder)
1/2 cup local honey (more or less for taste)
1 part (1/2 cup) ginseng root powder
1 part (1/2 cup) Brahmi Powder
vegan chocolate chips (mini!)
unsweetened cocoa powder, cacao, or cocoa nibs
Add ons: finely chopped walnuts, almonds, shredded coconuts, raisins, hemp seeds, etc.
Instructions/Assembly:
In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix the seed/nut butters with honey/maple syrup.
Blend in powdered herbs, chips, add-ons (Pro-tip: Finely chop by using a coffee grinder or small food processor)
Roll into tablespoon-size balls. (Pro-tip: I use a small ice cream scooper - even less work!)
In a shallow bowl or plate, roll into coconut shreds, hemp seeds, etc.
Place on plate or lined-cookie sheet and place in the freezer.
Once frozen, you can wrap them up in a bag, plate or container of your choice.
Recipe/Variation 3: Al's Combo
This is my preferred combination of ingredients for energy bites, following Kaitlin's proportions and instructions from above. My go-to combo: almond butter, local honey/local maple syrup, unsweetened vegan protein powder, cocoa/cacoa powder, unsweetened shredded coconut flakes, ground walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin/sunflower seeds.
