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.

A few years ago, I listened to an interview by Jon Cabot-Zinn on the topic of mindfulness. I was beginning graduate school, having a near mid-early-20s crisis of sorts, and it was exactly what I needed to hear to be more sane, and it really did change my perspective on how to live.

Since then, the concepts of "being mindful" and "being present" are ever-present...and I hope these notions of self-awareness are taken to heart (..and not just another superficial -ism). I'm fascinated by the connection, too, about what and how we eat and the impact on our immediate bodies as well as the world around us. Enter: How to Eat, a book, part of a mindfulness series, by Zen master and teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. To use the favorite adjective of my friend, it's truly magical. It's enlightening, empowering, and, really, just full of common sense.

My family did not say grace before meals, but, as I got into farming and growing food, I grew to like the notion of giving gratitude to the food on the table. Even if not said aloud, it's something that all parties at the table can recognize, contemplate, and participate in: how the food got to our plates, the work involved to produce that food by both humans and nature, and embracing the individuals present and sitting around the table. I thought I'd share one of my favorite sections from the book, called "Six Food Contemplations for Young People," which makes it digestible (pun intended) for all ages:

Six Food Contemplations for Young People by Thich Nhat Hanh

1. The food is the gift of the whole universe: the Earth, the sky, the rain, and the sun.

2. We thank the people who have made this food, especially the farmers, the people at the market, and the cooks.

3. We only put on our plate as much food as we can eat.

4. We want to chew the food slowly so that we can enjoy it.

5. This food gives us energy to practice being more loving and understanding.

6. We eat this food in order to be healthy and happy, and to love each other as family.

How cool is that? By now, I assume that a fair amount of people may have given up on their resolutions - many of which are unfortunately prompted by a negative or unhealthy relationship with food or one's self-image. But, think about it: if we learn to be present during our meals, and, by extension, experiences in our lives, things begin to gain some clarity. We all could use a little more patience and understanding in our lives, and it seems that if we incorporate these thoughtful set of mantras into our daily practice, eating and living could be a bit more cheerful and magical.

***

Get the book - it's definitely worth the read: How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh, available through Parallax Press, or check with your local bookstore (I got my copy at Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT!).

Energy Bites: A mindful, budget-conscious and crunchy as hell snack