almond butter Archives - Simply Happenstance

Protein Packed Energy Bites

April 28, 2015

Protein Packed Energy Bites //

There are few things I enjoy more than whipping up something delicious for my four little ones. I love knowing the ingredients that go into the foods that nourish their bodies. I also love the sweet smiles on their cute little faces when they bite into homemade treats!

This recipe is a simple one that the kids can even help with. With only a handful of healthful ingredients — this snack can be made in minutes. Their little hands are perfect for rolling the (no-bake) mixture into bite-sized balls.

I must admit, once you take your first bite, you may feel a little guilty! It’s sort of like eating a ball of cookie dough… only this time, you don’t have to sneak it!

Oatmeal, flaxseed, chia seeds, natural peanut butter, unsweetened coconut, raw honey, and chocolate chips make up the ingredients. The kids will have no idea that you are really filling up their bellies with protein-packed energy food!

These energy bites are great served as part of breakfast, packed in school lunches, eaten as an afternoon snack, prepared for upcoming road trips, for a fun day hiking, or an outing to the beach. (In fact, these little goodies will be accompanying my little girl on her field trip today!)

There are so many ways that you can customize these energy balls to make them your own! Try adding nuts, pretzels pieces, dried fruit, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, and/or endless other ingredients! (Just make sure to add enough nut butter and honey to bind it all together.) Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Protein Packed Energy Bites

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Healthy Snack

Servings: 20 -25

Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

1 cup dry oatmeal
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup raw honey
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1/2 hour.
Once chilled, roll into balls (I used a 1" cookie scoop to make mine bite-sized for the kids). If the mixture isn't forming/staying in a ball, simply add a bit more honey to bind it all together.
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

Breakfast Power Bowl

March 31, 2015

Gluten-Free // Breakfast Power Bowl

Breakfast… it’s hands-down, my favorite meal of the day. I honestly wake up each morning, excited for my cup of coffee and ready to eat! I typically start my day with a healthy protein shake or smoothie. However, if I have a little more time, or if it’s the weekend, I get a bit more creative. Thank goodness for those days! They’re truly my favorite!

This satisfying dish is one you can whip up the night before. (Sure… that takes a little more planning, but some days just call for a special morning treat!) If you are already having quinoa for dinner… make a little extra! When the kids go off to bed, add some chia seeds and almond milk to it, give it a stir, and place it in the refrigerator until morning. Simple, right?

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Chocolate Almond Oat Bars

November 11, 2014

:: Chocolate Almond Oat Bars ::

{no-bake + gluten-free}

Let’s talk about these chocolate bars! I’ve been trying to cut back on processed sugars over the past year {ok… several years!} It’s not always easy, since I’m the busy mama of four, have a crazy love of baking, and have a total sweet tooth! These days, I try to sweeten the treats I make using raw honey, when I can. I feel so great when I’m able to offer my kids a wholesome, homemade treat using fine, simple ingredients. These Chocolate Almond Oat Bars are just that.

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Almond Butter Honey Yogurt Dip

May 27, 2014

:: Almond Butter Honey Yogurt Dip ::

Summer is approaching… and pretty soon you may start feeling like you’re seriously living in the kitchen with the kids home! Having four children, I do in fact spend what feels like half of my day preparing healthy meals and snacks {especially since we homeschool}.

This Almond Butter Honey Yogurt Dip is a healthy and delicious snack idea that I got from Weelicious! The recipe only calls for three ingredients with an optional fourth, that I’ve added in. I eliminated use of refined sugars by using raw, unprocessed honey and sweetening it further with one ripe banana. [Read more…]

Chewy Homemade Granola Bars

March 17, 2014

Chewy Homemade Granola Bars //

{gluten-free}

Have you ever made homemade granola bars? They have been on my “must bake” list for quite some time. I did my research, and have read numerous reviews before finally adapting this recipe from Smitten Kitchen {which was originally adapted from the King Arthur Flour site}. What I love about these chewy, flavorful bars… is that they are so easy to adjust to your personal taste! You can customize them by adding in walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, dried cranberries, cherries or apples, and sesame or pumpkin seeds… the list goes on and on. Although I think these decadent bars are already pretty healthy… you absolutely can make them healthier by changing out the granulated sugar for coconut sugar, and replacing the melted butter with coconut oil. Also… make sure if you use honey, it’s in its raw form so you can get rid of some of the processed sweeteners.

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Banana Almond Smoothie with Chia Seeds

March 4, 2014

:: Banana Almond Smoothie with Chia Seeds ::

{dairy-free + gluten-free}

Chia Seeds…. are you adding them into your smoothies, oatmeal, cereal, and baking recipes? If not… you may want to! These tiny little seeds are packed full of nutrition! I have to admit, I didn’t begin using them until recently, but now that I have… I have been sprinkling them into everything, and can’t imagine a smoothie without them! They don’t have a taste, but they do gel up, a bit like tapioca. They thicken smoothies and puddings nicely, if you allow them to soak for a while. 1 serving of Chia Seeds {1 tablespoon}, contains 6 grams of Fiber, 2.9 grams of Omega 3, and 3 grams of protein! Amazing, right?! Here are some more fantastic facts about Chia Seeds… making them incredibly enticing!

Chia Seeds are gluten-free
They contain 20% of your Omega 3’s, making them heart healthy and a great brain food
They are quite high in Fiber, aiding in digestion
Chia Seeds are made up of 20% Protein
They are very high in Antioxidants
Chia Seeds help to balance your blood sugar levels {making them especially great for Diabetics}
They can be used as an egg replacement in baking recipes [Read more…]