Energy Bites

1/2 cup nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter or any other nut or seed butter. Anything will work here.)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (you can substitute any dry ingredients for this, wheat bran or germ, oat bran some ground flax seed {I wouldn't recommend a whole cup}, any kind of ground nuts or seeds. For a cookie dough type bite, try adding a few Tablespoons of your favorite whole grain flour.)
1-2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of sea salt, if using a natural nut butter with no added salt
1-2 tsp your favorite spices or spice combinations (optional)
1/2 cup other add ins (any kind of whole or roughly chopped nuts or seeds, dried fruit, good quality chocolate chips, etc. nutrition info is with chocolate chips)

In a large bowl, add the nut butter, honey, vanilla and salt, if needed. Use less vanilla if yours is very strong or more if you really enjoy the vanilla flavor . If all your ingredients are room temperature you should be able to stir to combine. If this is difficult, you can warm in the microwave for a few seconds. Once this is combined, add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Once it's all combined, place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Then remove from the fridge, scoop out some dough and roll into a ball. I find it's much easier, and works better to squeeze the handful together to compact it and then roll it into a ball.

If yours are too sticky, you can consider adding more ry ingredients into them or rolling them in something like ground nuts, coconut, etc. so they aren't as sticky. Place the balls in an airtight container either in the fridge or freezer for quick and easy snacks.

Serving Size: Makes 12 balls

Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user PATTI.SMITH.