Cherry Bombs Energy Bites
Every once in a while, I have an aha moment in the kitchen, and something surprisingly creative emerges! These Cherry Bombs Green Energy Bites were something of an accident. They are similar to the previously shared Chocolate Energy Bites recipe (here). I was separating out all my ingredients to make a batch of those since my supply was running low. I like to have a few in the freezer at all times; they are convenient snacks to grab before a long run or work out. When reaching for the chopped cashews can in the pantry, I accidentally grabbed the greens powder container instead. I looked at it, and that was when the light bulb above my head went on! What a great opportunity to add some greens to my diet in an unexpected way! It was then that I mixed four tablespoons of greens powder into the whole batch since I did not want a strong greens flavor in these bites. But feel free to add more in if you are looking to maximize your greens intake. The results were fantastic!
We believe that you should eat greens as much as possible in their natural raw state. But for those days when you just don’t have time to prepare a salad, or make a smoothie with fresh greens, turning to green powders is an effective way to supplement your diet. Until I created these bites, the only way I had previously utilized my greens powder was in smoothies. I have seen some recipes that incorporate them into cookies or baked goods, but I had never had the opportunity to try them . These energy bites are a well suited vessel for greens powder. They are sweet enough due to the naturally occurring sugar in dates, covering any bitterness that you may taste from the greens powder formula.
Another new addition to these energy bites are the chopped tart cherries. As mentioned a few posts ago, (see link here), tart cherries have incredible properties that benefit in muscle recovery and lower inflammation, when consumed post exercise. Their tart flavor added a bright fruity touch in these super-chocolaty bites, as well. Moreover, you can use any of your favorite Once Again nut butters instead of cashew butter. The chopped cashews and pecan meals required for this recipe are also easily swapped for other nut flavors you prefer or may have available in your kitchen. Since I always keep a supply of most nuts, I usually get to pick which one to use, but while at a friend’s house, I decided to show her how to make this recipe when all she had were Brazil nuts. We used those instead of the cashews and the final results were delicious.. Just pulse the Brazil nuts a few times in the food processor to break them up into smaller bits before adding them to the energy bites mixture.
It’s a delight to watch how children love these energy bites. I sometimes pack a few in my children’s lunch boxes, and inevitably they come back asking me to write out the recipe because they shared the bites with a friend who now also wants to make them. That’s partly why I first made the video of the original energy bites recipe (see video here). It’s much easier to show people how to make them than trying to write it all out. Do you add any fun twists to your energy bites at home? Share them with us in the comments’ section below!
Looking for another energy bite recipe? Try our Peanut Butter Energy Bites.
Servings
25 energy bites
Author:
Carolina Jantac, MS, RD, LD
Ingredients
16 ounces of dates
- 2 tablespoons of cacao powder unsweetened
- 4 tablespoons of pecan meal
- ¼ cup chopped cashews
- ¼ cup of chopped tart cherries
-
2 tablespoons of Once Again Creamy Cashew Butter
- 4 tablespoons of a greens powder of your choice
Directions
- Start by adding dates to your food processor.
- Even though you can purchase dates without the pits, I always recommend checking each one by hand before adding them to the food processor.
- Pulse them several times until you achieve a ball-like consistency.
- Next add cashew butter, greens powder, pecan meal and cashews. Lastly, remove dough from food processor and mix in the tart cherries.
- You may use your hands to fold in the cherries, just make sure to wet your hands so the mixture doesn’t stick to them.
- Roll the mixture into balls and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Or freeze them for up to 45 days. (They may last longer, but so far I have only savored their flavor and consistency after having them stored for a maximum of 45 days.)
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