The recipe for today’s Cooking with Connections is for Energy Oat Bites. These tiny spheres of deliciousness are actually very simple to make with very few ingredients. They make for a great addition to any snack and pair especially well with fruit. We have already discussed oats in one of our other articles, so today we’re going to focus on another major ingredient in the Energy Oat Bites: peanut butter.

Peanut butter is a fairly balanced energy source contain carbohydrates, protein, and fat. It is a good source of protein, but lower in certain amino acids. It is higher in unsaturated fat, especially oleic acid (healthy monounsaturated fat commonly found in olive oil), making it a healthier choice linked to several health benefits including improvement in insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetics. Peanut butter is also rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, niacin, manganese, magnesium, and vitamin B6.

If you are allergic to peanuts, try another type of nut or seed butter. There are an abundance of nut butters from almond to cashew to pistachio. These alternatives all have their different benefits, but especially that they are safe for individuals with peanut allergies. You can also go for seed butters like sunflower and pumpkin seed butters. These are especially high in vitamins and minerals and acts in the same cohesive way peanut butter does in the oat bites.

The recipe for Energy Oat Bites below offers the fun opportunity to personalize and make the recipe your own! Whether you are in the mood of adding raisins, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, or other dried fruits, 2 tablespoons of a topping in this recipe can add an extra crunch, sweetness, or saltiness to the bite.

Energy Oat Bites Recipe
Serves: 10-15 balls
Ingredients:
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp seeds (1 tbsp chia seeds and 1 tbsp flax seed)
• 1/4 cup nuts (crushed)
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix together with a spoon.
2. *Add 2 tbsp of additional toppings if desired
3. Roll to form a ball and enjoy!
4. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Visit our Youtube channel  to watch a how-to recipe video from our intern, Skylar Forrest.