For more easy on-the-go snacks, try our healthy and customizable homemade trail mix. Here’s everything you need to make them:
Quick oats: we use quick oats because we find they are easy to work with but you can use old fashioned oats if that’s what you have on hand. Use gluten-free oats if needed. You can also pulse rolled oats in your blender or food processor a couple times to break them into smaller pieces. Unsweetened shredded coconut: shredded coconut adds great texture, plus it’s high in fiber and healthy fat to keep you feeling fuller, for longer. Sunflower seeds, raisins, chopped walnuts, and chopped peanuts or almonds: this is the mix of ingredients we use but feel free to mix it up with other nuts, seeds, or dried fruit like pecans, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, dried cranberries, or dried cherries. Mini m&m’s: mini m&m’s are a delightful addition that are always a big hit with the kids. You can also use mini dark chocolate chips. Natural peanut butter or almond butter: use a natural peanut or almond butter that’s somewhat liquidy to help everything stick together. You can also use cashew butter if that’s what you have in your pantry. For a school-friendly (aka nut free) version of these protein bites, use sunflower seed butter. Maple syrup: we use maple syrup as a sweetener to keep this recipe vegan but runny honey makes a great substitute.
Here are some delicious ideas to get you started:
Give your protein bites a healthy omega 3 boost by adding 2 tablespoons of ground flax meal or hemp hearts (and adjust the recipe by reducing the amount of oats by 2 tablespoons). For more texture, try a crunchy natural peanut butter. Enhance the overall flavor with a splash of pure vanilla extract. For a less sweet version, swap the M&M’s or chocolate chips for cocoa nibs.
Use a runny natural nut butter. The runnier texture is what helps these balls stick together so they don’t crumble apart. Chop your nuts into small pieces. If the nut pieces are too large, the dough will be hard to form into balls. Store them in the fridge or freezer so they firm up. If you prefer a softer texture, pull them out about 5 minutes before you want to eat them.
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