First off, let's chat about a few health benefits of these yummy, satiating energy snacks.
Oats are a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. The benefits of oats include lower blood sugar levels, reduced risk of heart attack, and weight management.
Are you thinking you might need more oats in your diet now?
Did you know that almond butter is high in monounsaturated fats? Monounsaturated fats help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol.
I am the almond butter queen! Trader Joe’s has raw almond butter that has proven to be the tastiest. At least in my opinion.
Then there is our hero ingredient! Pumpkin contains antioxidants that can help with immune system health. Another great reason to enjoy the taste of pumpkin.
You can eat pumpkin anything any time of year!
Chia seeds are a great source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve your heart health and reduce cholesterol levels.
Cacao nibs contain antioxidants that can help reduce cell damage in your body.
If you haven’t tried cacao nibs yet, you’ve got to get some — crunchy little antioxidant bits add flavor to baked goods, granola, smoothies, and oatmeal.
For this recipe, you can use dark chocolate chips if you don’t have cacao nibs.
Now on to the good stuff! The recipe:
Servings: 12–16 energy balls
Prep time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 cups oats
1/2 cup almond butter or peanut butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch sea salt
Instructions
In a medium bowl combine oats, almond butter, pumpkin, chia seeds, pure maple syrup, cacao nibs, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine well.
You want the mixture to be soft but not too sticky. If you pick up a large spoonful, you should be able to roll it into a ball. It helps to have your hands slightly wet.
Depending on the type of oats you use (old-fashioned or quick oats), you may need to add more oats and stir until you reach the desired consistency. I would add only a few large spoonfuls at a time until you get the consistency you want.
Scoop a large spoonful into your hand and roll it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough until you have 12–16 balls (depending on the size you want for each). Sprinkle each ball with a pinch of sea salt.
Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Freeze half of the batch if you won’t be eating them right away.
That might not be necessary though!
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