Cashew Coconut Energy Bites
Please tell me that I’m not the only person on this planet who was born with an undying, insatiable need to snack 24/7.
I know we’ve talked about this before. Numerous times, I’m sure. I mean, I turned quinoa into a snack, for crying out loud! In my world, ANYTHING CAN BE A SNACK.
I not-so-secretly wish that I was one of those people whose anti-snacking mechanisms include simply not buying snack food. It’s a novel idea really. But, um…. what? #doesnotcompute
That’s just not how my brain works, unfortunately. I mean, I’ll say it again: anything can be a snack, people!
Let’s play out a possible scenario: I refrain from buying Cape Cod chips and dark chocolate and GF oreos for a few weeks, and find myself with absolutely nothing ‘snacky’ in the house (once I demolish everything else I’ve squirreled away, of course). That’s easy to get around. I’ll just go right into my freezer, defrost some year-old peas, melt some moldy milk chocolate from the back of my cabinet, mix it all together on a baking sheet, drizzle some pb on top and freeze, and then break it up into bite-sized pieces and call it “peanut butter cup pea bark”.
I WILL LITERALLY FIND ANYTHING IN MY HOUSE, CALL IT A SNACK AND THEN SHOVE IT IN MY MOUTH.
#THATSWHATSHESAID
Life is hard, you guys. First world problems to the max.
That being said, sooooometimes I get a little creative and keep healthy(ish) snacks on hand. You know, ones that will actually keep me full…. scratch that, ones that are actually FILLING and if I eat enough of them, I become so full that I physically cannot fit another bite in my body.
Easier said than done.
A recent snack favorite in the Bartash household is the concept of ‘energy bites’: bite-sized balls (phrasing) of goodness, jam packed with healthy fats that will keep you full for hours — the true mark of a solid snack!
I’ve seen a billion different varieties out there on the interwebs: peanut butter cup, almond joy, lemon, pumpkin spice (swoon!), banana oat, matcha, cranberry coconut. You name it, someone has turned it into an energy bite.
Our current favorite flavor combination is cashew coconut — perfectly nutty and sweet!
These are literally SO easy to make, you guys. Toss all the ingredients in a food processor, blend for a few minutes, form into balls and enjoy! They are a perfect pre-breakfast snack if you wake up starving like we do — and a few bites really do hold us over in between meals.
You can easily modify based on the ingredients you have on hand — though a quick trip to Trader Joe’s will find you everything you need! I swear by Trader Joe’s cashew butter for all my recipes (I mean, have you tried these cookies yet?!). Actually, I guess I swear by Trader Joe’s for most things!
I typically use whatever nut milk I have on hand. For an extra burst of cashew-y deliciousness, I’ll use homemade cashew milk — just substitute cashews for the almonds in my homemade almond milk recipe. Oh! And I use this OXO melon baller to help form perfectly round balls.
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ¾ cup cashews (I prefer roasted and lightly salted)
- 10-12 dates, soaked for 10 min in hot water
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- splash of vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
- Toss all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 3-5 minutes until mixture is thoroughly combined. The cashews and dates should be coarsely chopped, and the mixture will be slightly wet to touch. Add more (non-dairy) milk by the teaspoon as needed if the dough isn't holding together.
- Form into (roughly) tablespoon-sized balls.
- Keep in the fridge for up to a week or store in the freezer for up to a few months (if they last that long!).
For some added sweetness, throw in a handful of cacao nibs or chocolate chips during the last 30 seconds of blending. Sometimes I like to sneak in a scoop of collagen powder (Vital Proteins, always) for an added beauty bonus.
You can make your energy bites into different sizes -- smaller, teaspoon-sized ones for when you just need a small taste or larger, tablespoon-sized (or larger!) for when you need a little more to hold you over.
Recipe Adapted From: Oh, Ladycakes | Raw Almond Coconut Cacao Nib Bites
Happy snacking, friends!
