These are the BEST to have on-hand in the freezer for when my sweet cravings hit. And best of all, the basic recipe takes just three ingredients, plus any add-ins you like.
There are tons of variations of protein bites out there, but this is one shows you how to adapt what you have to make a delicious, sweet, clean-eating protein-packed bite!
My 3-ingredient clean-eating energy bites
2 cups oatmeal (or cooked quinoa)
2 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or egg whites or pumpkin/squash puree)
any add-ins you like!
Basically you mix these together until it’s the right consistency to make a ball. (Think like a peanut butter cookie ball, minus the high fat and sugar!) Sometimes I need to add more applesauce or oats to get it right, but you really just need to eyeball it.
Then comes the fun part… the add-ins! I throw in a bunch of whatever sounds good: almonds, chopped dried dates, dried cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, walnuts, chopped strawberries, chia seeds, goji berries… the sky’s the limit. Sometimes I also add in some cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. No need to add in extra sugar because the ripe bananas take care of that!
Roll these little puppies into balls. Whatever size you like is fine. Then pop them into a 375-degree oven for about 25 to 35 minutes. Again, eyeball them to see when they look toasted. The time will vary, based on how big they are. The oven gives them the best roasted flavor, adding an extra layer of deep flavor without extra fat!
The fun thing is that it’s always different, since you’re changing up the add-ins. So, if you bring this to your next mom’s group or office luncheon, it always seems like it’s a new dish. I’ve had people ask me for the recipe for this so many times!
You can eat them right away, or put them in a freezer bag to enjoy later. Just take one out of the freezer, put it on a plate, and pop in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Enjoy!
