Frugal Living NW

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I'm Angela Davis, a PNW native, mom of lots of kids, and I love saving money. I'm here to help you live well on a budget by making every penny count. You'll find deals at your local stores, ways to save online, recipes, and frugal living tips and inspiration.

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Easy no-bake energy bites (gluten, dairy, and sugar-free recipe)

Shared on February 14, 2018
This post may contain affiliate links which means I make a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. See the disclosure policy for more information.

Easy no-bake energy bites recipe -- Make this simple recipe for school lunches and snacks. Can be made gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free!

Easy No-Bake Energy Bites

One day last spring, my daughter’s kindergarten group had to present a skill to the rest of the class. The boys didn’t exactly think outside of the box. Every single one of them brought Legos. Oh yes, could you explain in great detail one more time just exactly how you created that ninja-pirate-laser-crocodile ship?

Don’t get me wrong, I think little boys are absolutely awesome. But I have to say, the girls dominated show-and-tell that day, especially the little girl who did a cooking demonstration with this recipe for no-bake energy bites. So simple, even a five year old can make them! And so delicious, no one was turning down seconds.

Easy no-bake energy bites recipe

These bites are kind of like eating peanut (or other nut) butter oatmeal cookie dough balls. They are sweet and soft, satisfying that sweet tooth without using any refined sugar. And instead of ingredients like flour, butter, and eggs they are made with old-fashioned oats, nut butter, coconut, honey, and Chia seeds. Good stuff!

The ingredients can be mixed together quickly with a bowl and spoon, but I prefer to just pulse them a few times in my food processor. Then I scoop the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and stick it in the refrigerator until firm. Transfer to a storage container in the fridge or freezer and you have a healthy snack for grabbing on the go! I packed a container of these last week for a day spent at the county fair. It was perfect to have when that first inevitable, “I’m hungry!” hit. I also love having them in the refrigerator for those days when I am working in the house or around the yard and want a quick pick-me-up without having to go to the trouble to make something.

You could make a super hero space car out of Legos, but I guarantee this recipe is faster and tastes better.

No bake energy bites

No-bake Energy Bites

Makes 12-13

Ingredients

1 c. old-fashioned oats
2/3 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. ground flaxseed
1 T. Chia seeds
pinch of salt
1/2 c. nut butter
1/4-1/3 c. honey (depending on desired sweetness)
1 t. vanilla extract

  1. Place oats, coconut, ground flaxseed, Chia seeds, and salt in a bowl or food processor. Stir or pulse to combine. Add the nut butter, honey, and vanilla extract, stirring until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  2. Using a size-40 scoop, place dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until firm. Transfer (in a single layer) to a plastic storage bag or in layers separated by parchment paper in a storage container. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Stainless Steel Disher (Amazon)

I have been singing the praises of the simple scoop as one of the most inexpensive, versatile kitchen tools for years. I own three sizes and use them for everything from muffin batter to cookie dough. Then I stumbled onto something called a “disher” on Amazon. This Vollrath Stainless Steel Disher (Amazon) has received rave reviews on its construction and durability. All for a low price point. I’m intrigued. Does anyone own a disher? I think I need one in every color now.

To catch up on our no/low sugar series, check out these previous posts:

  • Why my family is cutting out refined sugar
  • 7 simple ways to reduce sugar in your diet
  • Different types of sugars & sweeteners: A basic guide

homemade-larabar-recipe

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This post may contain affiliate links. See the disclosure policy for more information.

Filed Under: Frugal Homemaking Tagged With: gluten-free

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  1. Sharon says

    February 14, 2018 at 2:36 pm

    Hi there. You have these listed under Paleo Recipes. Just wanted to give you a heads up that Paleo recipes are grain-free, and oats are a grain. Don’t get me wrong, they look fabulous, but for somebody new to the Paleo diet, without knowing everything, this could be a stumbling block.

    Reply
  2. Christine Hooker says

    April 11, 2016 at 12:03 pm

    Do you know what the nutrition breakdown is for this recipe?

    Reply
  3. Heather says

    September 6, 2015 at 5:51 pm

    I made with Wheat germ instead since we are allergic to flax… they were a bit crumbly. Im assuming this is why? but the flavor is amazing! Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Amelia Jacobs says

    August 21, 2014 at 4:31 pm

    the colors correlate to sizes. they are used in the food industry for portion control. personally, I’m left handed do they are uncomfortable until they break. they are not universal and that frustrates me. the little bar that sweeps the scoop is on the wrong side for us lefties.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      August 22, 2014 at 5:34 pm

      I am a lefty and I too have difficulty with the scoops. I love the portion sizing but the sweep is on the wrong side .

      Reply
    • Emily from Frugal Living NW says

      August 24, 2014 at 2:43 pm

      Ah, good point! I guess mine are ambidextrous (I saw that title listed on Amazon but hadn’t thought about the r/l hand issue before). They are the squeeze scoops that would work for either hand.

      Reply

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