Energy Bites 4 Ways

Good things come in small, delicious packages!

And when those packages consist of 5 ingredients or less? That, my friends, is called winning!

From the perspective of both a nutrition enthusiast and a recent poor college student, snacks like energy bites are a goldmine: minimal ingredients, cost effective, makes a generous amount -for at least a week of snacking-, and healthy+delicious!

In the past month or so, I stumbled across this particular recipe for energy bites (oats and bananas). I just happened to have some bananas about to go bad and figured I’d give them a try. And they were delicious! The perfect snack-index between sweet treat and health food.

Then I started thinking, what else could I do with these? Ooh, I bet this would be good in it, or how about one like this? I spent an afternoon with my hands covered in mashed banana, honey, peanut butter, and a number of other messy ingredients, chasing these ideas! And now that I’ve washed my hands, I’m happy to bring you the findings of these experiments and present to you: The Top 4 Energy Bite Styles!

Before we get to the deliciousness -and the reason you’re actually here and probably scrolling past this for!- it wouldn’t be a a true b(Squared) post if I didn’t first give you the nutritional low down on our key players! (Pst, feel free to take this as your daily reminder that carbs are friends and everything in moderation!) So real quick, let’s take a look at what makes up these energy bites and why they’re a great healthy snack.

Nutrition

Bananas are a rich source of Carbohydrates, making them a great pre-workout snack for a quick burst of energy. On the other side, 1 serving provides about 9% of the Reference Daily Intake (daily intake level of a nutrient that is considered to be sufficient) of Potassium, which is great at helping our muscles recover from work and decrease the effects of muscle soreness. Other notable nutrients include Magnesium, Vitamin C, and Fiber. If you’re feeling nerdy, check out more on the health benefits of bananas!

Oats are a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of Carbohydrates and Fiber, including the powerful fiber, beta-glucan. They also provide more Fat and Protein than most grains. Other notables include Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, and Vitamins B1 and B5

Strawberries are a great source of Fiber, Vitamin C, and Antioxidants. Bonus, the American Diabetes Association identifies berries, including strawberries, as one of the top 10 superfoods for a diabetes meal plan.

Peanut Butter provides a good amount of Protein, along with essential vitamins (B-6) and minerals, such as Magnesium, Potassium, and Zinc. However, it is high in calories, saturated fats, and sodium, so be careful to not go overboard!

Flax Seed provides a good amount of Protein, Fiber, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids, in addition to being a rich source of some vitamins and minerals. Their main health benefits stem from being a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a mostly plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.

Ok, we’re done, on with the show!

The OGs

Humble, Original, and Real (Tasty)!

It doesn’t get much easier than the original 3-ingredient recipe for these little balls of joy. All you need is bananas, oats or oat-flour, and chocolate chips (mini chips work best!).

I don’t typically buy oat-flour, but almost always have rolled oats on hand. My go-to for this recipe is to grind about 3 cups oats in the blender until it has the fine texture of flour. Once mixed with the bananas, the consistency is very similar to cookie dough. Based on the size of the bananas you’re using, you may need to adjust the amount of oats you use to avoid it being too sticky or too dry.

This original recipe will be what is used as the base for the alternate styles later! The Result: a clean, not too sweet taste. The very basic you can get in the snack world, unless you wanted to leave out the chocolate chips and make it a 2-ingredient recipe!

What You’ll Need

2 Medium Bananas
3 Cups Ground Oats/Oat-Flour
1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

What To Do

If using rolled/steel cut oats: Toss 3 cups oats in a blender and grind until fine like flour. If using an oat flour, skip straight to mixing!
In a medium bowl, mash 2 bananas
Stir in oat flour until consistency is like cookie dough (a bit sticky, but capable of being handled and rolled)
Pinch off 1/2 inch sections and roll into balls
Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (if they last that long!)

Sweeties

Only one extra ingredient, but man, what a difference it makes!

If you have an insatiable sweet tooth that urges you towards every sugary snack in the closet, then these honey energy bites might be for you!
Just stir in some honey to the OG recipe, et voilà!

The Result: A sweeter, softer version of the more basic OG. Beware, this mixture is also a bit stickier than the original, and therefore messier to roll. Try wetting your hands a bit to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.

What You’ll Need

2 Medium Bananas
3 Cups Ground Oats/Oat-Flour
1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
2 Tablespoons Honey

What To Do

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed
Pinch off 1/2 inch sections and roll into balls
Store in refrigerator and enjoy!

Note: After 30 minutes or so of being chilled, these Sweeties harden up and aren’t so messy!

Strawberry Banana Milkshake

Tale as old as time, a delicious snack that’s mine.

Strawberry+Banana is a classic taste combination just perfect for these warm spring days. It also happens to be one of my favorite flavors when it comes to shakes! I knew I wanted to do something that played off the banana in the dough, but wasn’t sure how fresh fruit would hold up in an energy bite.

Spoiler alert, it works out!

I chopped up about a 1/4 cups fresh strawberries for these milkshake bites. They mixed well into the dough and stored nicely -no bleeding, no wilting, etc.

The Result: a clean, fruity snack for when you want some added fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants!

Note: depending on how long you store these, the strawberries may appear to brown, similar to apples and sweet potatoes. Don’t be alarmed, they’ll still taste just as good!

What You’ll Need

2 Medium Bananas
3 Cups Ground Oats/Oat-Flour
1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
1/4 Chopped Strawberries
Optional: Vanilla Greek Yogurt

What To Do

In a medium bowl, combine bananas, oats, chocolate chips, and strawberries
Pinch off 1/2 inch sections and roll into balls
Store in refrigerator and enjoy!

Serving Suggestion: If you really want to play up the milkshake vibe with these strawberry-banana bites, try dipping them in greek yogurt!

Dip ’em

Chill rolled bites in the fridge for 10-15 minutes
In a small bowl, dip the bites in vanilla greek yogurt
Freeze for 10-15 minutes (until greek yogurt hardens)
Store either in the fridge or leave in the freezer for a frozen treat!

Power Balls

I’ve saved the best for last!

Seriously, these Power Balls are a combination of all my favorite flavors: banana, chocolate, and peanut butter! See also: Not Your Momma’s Toast and Chunky Monkey Oatmeal. Along with the oats and flax seed, these bites make a great on-the-go snack for when you need a little extra energy plus.

The Result: a creamy texture and savory taste, that provides a more substantial snack for when you need some extra calories, fats, and proteins.

Bonus: Looking for a warm delight? Or a commute-friendly snack that’s safe to leave in the car all day, even in the hot sun? These Power Balls taste amazing warmed up! The creamy peanut butter and melted chocolate chips create a perfect blend of flavors, almost like banana bread in a bite!

What You’ll Need

2 Medium Bananas
3 Cups Ground Oats/Oat-Flour
1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter (Any Nut Butter)
1 Teaspoon Ground Flax Seed

What To Do

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed
Pinch off 1/2 inch sections and roll into balls
Store in refrigerator and enjoy!

Pick a ball and try it out! Or try all 4 and tell me which one is your favorite! As always, all comments are appreciated, as well as ideas for what you’d like to see more posts on!

Keep on keepin’ on Squares!