No-Bake Energy Balls

I'm sick of buying granola bars and random snacks from the store. They're expensive and loaded with unpronounceable elements that have been manufactured in some lab somewhere and deemed fit for human consumption.

So I've been on the hunt for healthier, homemade, but still portable snack ideas. Because you know I need snacks—often. My friends didn't give me the name Snickety Snack for nothing.

First on the list to try: No-Bake Energy Balls. I spotted them on Pinterest.

(Pinterest, by the way, is the best and worst creation ever—the best because I always get great food, decor, fashion, parenting, cleaning, you-name-it ideas; the worst because it is so horribly addictive. Case in point: I had a student in a web publishing class last semester tell me she spent 8 hours one day on Pinterest. Eight hours! I spend 5 minutes here and there on it. But 8 hours? Wowza. Pinterest may be the downfall of our society.)

So about these energy balls. I snagged the recipe from Gimme Some Oven. It's pretty much just like she recommends making them, although I did dial back the coconut a bit from what the recipe calls for. Just personal preference.

Here are the details ...

What You Need 

1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes (I only used about 1/3 cup)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flaxseed, wheat germ, or a combo (I used wheat germ this time)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, but recommended)

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

What You Do

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week (if they last that long—doubtful).

 

Reasons to love these: They take minutes to make. They require no cooking or baking of any sort. And they include some of my most favorite ingredients ever: peanut butter, chocolate, honey, oats. Yum.

Although you don't have to refrigerate these babies, I'd recommend it. They stay nice and firm when they're in the fridge.

I imagine this first batch won't last long ... considering Conservative Hubby went to bed last night smelling of peanut butter, and I was in them myself this morning before the coffee even finished brewing.