Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Power Up!

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you, I'm seriously about to burst. We're talking Energy Balls, friends--and darn good ones at that.

These little treats may be smaller than a golfball, but they sure pack a powerful punch. Forget your Lara Bars. Toss that granola out the window. Today's recipe will give new meaning to your mid-morning snack.

I discovered these little gems on Kat's blog--a mere week after I tested (and devoured) her Peanut Butter Cups. I call 'em Energy Balls because they're the perfect post-workout fuel and they definitely give you the energy needed to power through work until your lunch break.

Best of all, with only 1 tablespoon of honey, they're short on added sugar. Yet, miraculously, they also satiate my sweet tooth. Bonus points!

Enough talk. You need some energy, and I've got just the solution...

Energy Balls
(recipe adapted from Kat's at Keep n' the Faith)

These bite-size energy treats will give you just the pre- or post-workout fuel you need. They also serve as the perfect after-work snack...or crumbled on top of banana soft serve.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted (unsalted)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1/3 cup cooked quinoa
  • 2 - 3 TBSP ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup almond or peanut butter (I actually used 1/4 cup almond butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter)
  • 1 TBSP honey
  • splash of vanilla extract
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Add more dry or wet ingredients if needed to reach your desired consistency. Roll into balls and eat up :)

12 comments:

  1. I love recipes like this -- too bad (for me) that they usually taste so good I can't have just one!

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  2. I love these! They sound so much better than one of those "energy" bars that taste terrible. These would be great to keep at school for my three o'clock slump. :)

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  3. Woop woop!! Love that you adapted them and made them your own! That is what recipes are all about :) I brought mine up to my daddys house and everyone LOVED them. They didnt last more than 2 days, I was shocked!

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  4. Oh, these look nice. I eat far too many ready-made protein bars. These would be a great substitute.

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  5. I am TOTALLY going to make these! I am going to buy all the ingredients I need tomorrow. :) Just printed out the recipe, I am really excited about this!!!

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  6. Delicious! I want to make these to eat during a long workout. They would be perfect!

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  7. Yum! these look like little bursts of energy -- delicious!

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  8. I love energy treats, balls, bars, I want them all.

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  9. I see lots of wholesome ingredients in these powerful little treats!

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  10. Yum, these sound like a great pre-swim snack! They must be so much cheaper to make than buying Lara Bars, and they seem highly adaptable. :)

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  11. I bet these would be perfect right before a workout?

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  12. mmm :) can't wait to try 'em!

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