29.11.12

peanut butter & honey energy bites


Some people grow up on peanut butter and jelly (pb&j). For me growing up, the staple sandwich for lunches at home or elsewhere was peanut butter and honey. Several times on this blog I have bemoaned the loss of pb&h as I have made an effort to include healthier choices. Peanut butter and honey is not really a healthy lunch - pretty much everyone would be compelled to admit that there is a world of better choices waiting to be had - but as a treat!? Well! I think it is a fine treat. Especially if you add sunflower seeds, hemp seed, and flaxseed along with coconut and rolled oats.

The idea is not my own, just a few of the twists. To give credit where credit is due I was introduced to the recipe on a blog written by a good friend of my son's -  allie is always hungry. (Allie calls them no bake peanut butter oatmeal balls.) Allie saw a pic on pinterest and traced it to gimme some oven, a fun little blog. I was sold pretty quickly on trying this treat with the aforementioned minor tweaks and two days have seen two batches disappear entirely. No bake, gluten-free, all pantry item, 10 minute start-to-finish treats. Do it!

Allie recommends using a regular (read: not natural, organic) brand of peanut butter. I have only the natural, no added sugar or salt organic type in my pantry so that is what I used. Worked for me. Making these was a scoop of goodness for the 'bite' count, a pinch for me kind of exercise.

The very comfortable peanut butter and honey combo is entirely welcome in my tummy.

peanut butter and honey energy bites
(adapted ever so slightly from gimme some oven)

1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped kind of fine
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup hempseed hearts
2 Tbsp milled flaxseed
2 Tbsp shelled sunflower seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

Dump every single ingredient into a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. 

Using a 1" cookie scoop make balls that you set on a piece of parchment paper. If you want, you can stop here. If you want perfectly round and smooth balls, give each scoop of peanut butter and honey goodness a roll between your palms and voila! Fini. 

That's it. really.


5 comments:

Eden Lang said...

thanks! all my kids LOVE these:)

xoxo

Allie said...

So glad you liked these, Cheri!! And thanks for mentioning me, but I certainly can't take full credit either :) I like the additions you threw in too!

Lisa Thompson said...

Made these for an after school treat today and they lasted all but 5 minutes!! So yummy, thanks for another fabulous share.

Emma Rae said...

Hi Cheri- Found your blog through Eden's photography site! Made these this week and my kids (and I) LOVED them. Used Chocolate Covered Quinoa in place of the chopped chocolate. Thanks for a great homemade snack recipe!

Cheri said...

Great idea to use the chocolate covered quinoa! Thanks for the idea and comment :)