No-Bake Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

By tschnet1

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chips (mini or regular sized)
• 1 cup smooth almond butter or peanut butter
• 2-1/4 cups oats, 1/4 cup reserved
• 1 medium to large ripe banana, pureed
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds or flax seeds
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Line a sealable container with a square of wax paper.

Grind 1/4 cup of oats in the blender until they reach a flour-like consistency.

Pour ground oat flour into a large bowl.

Add oats, chia, salt, cocoa powder, and coconut (if using) to the bowl and mix.

Puree a banana in the blender.

Add the nut butter, raw honey, chocolate chips and banana puree and mix well until fully incorporated.

Using your hands, form into 20 balls and place on the wax paper. Once you have one layer of bites, another square of wax paper can be added, and more can be placed on the next sheet and so forth.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Bites can be stored in single layers in freezer bags after refrigeration for up to 3 months.