I found a great snack recipe from a sweet pea chef that is full of good-for-you ingredients (like peanut butter…one of my personal favs!), and perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up or to give you a boost of energy during a long run (which is exactly how I used it this morning, and it was great!). I modified the original recipe just a bit, but no matter what version you choose — you should have no guilt in enjoying this no bake snack :). let me know if you try it.
peanut butter cranberry energy bites
(modified from a sweet pea chef, no bake chocolate peanut butter energy balls)
ingredients
- 1 cup dates, pitted
- 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 Tbsp. hemp seeds*
- ⅔ cup rolled oats
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (or more pending on your love for cinnamon)
- agave or honey for extra sweetness
instructions (via a sweet pea chef)
- add the dates to the food processor or heavy-duty blender and process until they’re small pieces or they form a ball. make sure they’re pitted before adding them to the food processor!
- next, add in the peanut butter, dried cranberries, hemp seeds, old fashioned oats, and ground cinnamon and process until combined. (*note: regarding the hemp seeds, I think I would increase this to 2 Tbsp next time – just due their nutritional profile)
- check the mixture – you want there to be consistently small pieces but not have it be overly processed. (note: I drizzled just a little agave for extra sweetness during this step)
- carefully grab a small handful and roll into about 1-inch balls, using the warmth of your hands to mold them together. (note: depending on how small you want these to be, you can make 12-15 bites, but I wanted mine a bit larger so I got 10 bites)
- no need to bake these – just pop them in fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes to set. these will keep fresh in an air-tight container for up to a week or you could freeze for longer.
peanut butter cranberry energy bites (modified) via a sweet pea chef
peanut butter cranberry energy bites (modified) via a sweet pea chef
nutritional profile for one (1) pb & cranberry energy bite:
- calories: 99
- fat: 4 grams (g)
- carbs: 11.2 (g)
- fiber: 1.8 (g)
- sugar: 9.2 (g)
- protein: 2.6 (g)
also try the dark chocolate cherry energy bite version from a sweet pea chef
the sugarapple 