Double Chocolate Energy Bites
If you love chocolate, these bites are for YOU. This easy snack recipe requires no baking and comes together in about 5 or 10 minutes.
What’s in these Energy Bites
The cool thing about energy bites is there are so many ways to make them. Since there are a lot of chocolate lovers out there- including myself- I wanted to see if I could make a bite that would satisfy my occasional need for chocolate. These do the trick!
With whole grain oats, you get a nice dose of fiber and complex carbohydrates (the kind of carbs that give you longer-lasting energy).
Almond butter provides a hit of protein and fat.
Chia seeds also give you protein, plus tons of other micronutrients like calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Maple syrup- we use just enough of this whole food sweetener to take the bitter edge off the raw cacao and give the balls some moisture so they’ll stick together.
Raw cacao powder and cacao nibs- unadulterated chocolate is so good for you, rich in polyphenols!
The Health Benefits of Chocolate
Good news folks- chocolate is officially good for you! But not the candy you buy in the supermarket- that stuff’s loaded with all kinds of junk. On the other hand, raw, unprocessed cocoa powder (often called cacao powder) or cacao nibs- what’s used in this recipe- offers many health benefits:
It has phytonutrients that lower your blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol, and boost your good cholesterol.
It can help un-stiffen your arteries and boost your immune system.
It's super high in antioxidants (40 times what you find in blueberries!)
It's the highest plant-based source of iron (at 7.3 mg per 100g of cacao; compare with 2.5mg iron in 100g of beef)
It's a great source of magnesium, and has more calcium than cow's milk.
Eating it usually makes you feel happier!
Tips on making these double chocolate energy bites
This recipe is super easy to make but it’ll go easier if you have a food processor. If you don’t have one, try first blending the oats and chia seeds in your blender until they reach the consistency of a coarse meal. Then mix by hand in a large bowl. It’ll take a little muscle, but you’ll get the same result.
This is a great recipe to whip up at the beginning of the week when you do the rest of your meal prep. Keep these bites in the fridge and grab one when you need a quick snack!
Double Chocolate Energy Bites
Makes 12-15 bites (about 1 T each)
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and make sure there’s room in your fridge (or freezer) to place the sheet. Prep the rest of the ingredients.
Place the oats into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade and pulse a few times. Add in the chia seeds, and pulse again until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Add in the sea salt and cacao powder. Pulse to combine.
Now add the wet ingredients: the almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pulse until everything is more or less evenly combined.
Remove the mixture and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Gently fold in the cacao nibs.
Using a spoon or a mini ice-cream scoop, create balls roughly the size of 1 tablespoon. Roll each ball between your palms to make it nice and round. Then place on the baking sheet. You should get 12-15 balls.
Place the baking sheet in your fridge for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, stick them in the freezer for 15-30 minutes, or until nice and firm.
Once the balls are firm, transfer to an air-tight container and store in the fridge. They should be fine for a week, though I doubt they’ll last that long!
ENJOY!
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment and let me know how it went!
