Sunday, November 9, 2014

NO BAKE GRANOLA BITES!

Hi everyone! Usually Sunday's post is #StudyAbroadSunday but I decided to switch things up a little bit, hope you don't mind! Not to worry, #StudyAbroadSunday will resume next Sunday. I wanted to do this post because today I actually made what I'm going to be showing you! Okay, I'll admit: I'm a snacker. I love to snack! But I love snacking even more when I'm eating something that I know is at least semi-healthy and tastes good! And that's where the No Bake Granola Bites come in. I found this recipe a while ago, and the first time I made them I fell in love! Oh, and so did my mom. She's obsessed with them. Sometimes I think she eats more of them than I do...I don't blame her! The No Bake Granola Bites are so simple to make (come on...no bake is in the title!) and they are made with wholesome, delicious ingredients. Most likely, you have at least some (if not all) of these ingredients lying around your kitchen right now! Without further ado, let's get into it!


No Bake Granola Bites

1 cup dry oatmeal (old-fashioned, not steel cut)
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract


The first step is to combine all of the ingredients in a big mixing bowl! (super difficult stuff, i know) Here I have my cup of dry oatmeal, I used some good ol' Quaker Oats :)



Next up is the coconut! I used the Bob's Red Mill Shredded Unsweetened Coconut. You don't have to use this specific brand by any means, but I really like it because it's natural and pure.



Next in the bowl is the half cup of creamy peanut butter! I used the Teddie Organic All-Natural Creamy Peanut Butter. Again, not necessary to use this specific one, it's totally up to you! But it has to be creamy. And plus, who eats crunchy peanut butter?!


It's flaxseed time! What is flaxseed, you ask? Well, ground flaxseed is a great source of fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids, or the "good" fats. I like to put it in my yogurt too :)


Let's be honest, you saw chocolate chips in the recipe and you got a little excited. Who doesn't love chocolate chips? I know I do. Maybe a little too much. But anyways, the recipe calls for mini chips (which i usually use but i couldn't find any) but I used regular sized chocolate chips. I mean everything turned out okay, so I don't see any harm in using big chocolate chips ;)



Up next is the honey, how sweet! :) I used Sue Bee Clover Honey, but mostly because it was in my cupboard...oh, and it looks like a bear :)

dat action shot doe



And last but not least, I added in some Trader Joe's Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract! Fun fact, I have a slight obsession with Trader Joe's (thanks mom) and I see myself blowing many a paycheck there in my near future.


When you are done mixing your ingredients together, it should look something like this! The second step is to cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge for for half an hour. After that half hour is up, all you have to do is roll your mixture into little balls and they are good to go!


I love this recipe, it's super easy to whip up and its a healthy snacking alternative! I eat these bad boys at all times of the day: in the morning before school, as an after school snack, or whenever I please really...

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! I plan on doing more foodie posts in the future. Let me know below what your favorite healthy snack is! Oh, and if you happen to make this recipe yourself send me a picture on Twitter or something! :)

Just a quick sidenote, if you have a second to spare go give the Essentially Shannon Facebook page a like!



until next time,

2 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh. I must make these tomorrow. I've made granola BARS before but these bites version sound wayyyy better!! ;)

    Jessica
    the.pyreflies.org

    ReplyDelete
  2. yes! send me a picture on twitter when you do, i'd love to see! :)

    ReplyDelete

 
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