With fall sports starting up, and an increase in workload from school, a healthy and easy snack is always important. These energy balls are a great option to make Sunday night in preparation for a big week filled with school, tests and extra curricular. They keep you filled and satisfy your sweet tooth while using natural ingredients. A perfect option to turn to in the upcoming weeks.
Ingredients: one and a half cups of old fashioned oats, one cup of almond butter, one fourth cup of honey, one fourth cup of chocolate chips and two tablespoons of chia seeds.
Then, add one cup of almond butter (any nut butter can also be substituted here for allergies or preference). This is a great source of protein, and is rich in vitamins and minerals.
After that, add one teaspoon of vanilla extract (this step is optional, but it does add a vanilla flavor to the batter so I would recommend).
Next, add one tablespoon of chia seeds. Chia seeds have many nutritional benefits and are high in fiber, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and calcium. They are tiny and tasteless so they are a great add on, even for picky eaters.
Lastly, add one fourth cup of chocolate chips. Any type will work, but I used Lily's dark chocolate chips which are sugar free and use stevia. Stevia is an alternative sweetener that is all natural and comes from the stevia plant.
Once all the ingredients have been distributed evenly, put in the fridge for seven-10 minutes. This will slightly harden the mixture, so forming the balls won't be as difficult.
Then roll up your sleeves and remove the base from the fridge. Using a spoon, take a hefty scoop of the mixture and gently roll in your hands.
This recipe makes around 20 energy balls, and can last up to two weeks in the fridge, or four weeks in the freezer.