Protein Packed Nut Butter Bites

Written by Contributing Writer, Kari at Living Strong, Health & Wellness

Snack time!

Personally, I’m not a big “snacker”. I can go meal to meal without needing any extra food to keep me going. Although, having a family, I need to have a plan on hand for our meals and snacks and then I need to make sure they are ready and available to eat!

My kids, on the other hand, seem to need a snack every 30 minutes. I can understand why since they are on the go, non-stop, active kids. This can present a problem when you are wanting to feed your family healthy foods that nourish the body.  Unfortunately, the quick and convenient, grab and go processed options you find on the grocery store shelves don’t make the cut for me. It’s hard enough to make sure they have nourishing and healthy lunches everyday – then to add in snacks to mix, that means more creative ideas are needed!

I know it would be easier to go this route, but I’ve spent too many years building a strong foundation of health in my family, this is one area I don’t want to skimp on.  This means I need to be creative in the kitchen when it comes to snacks.

I have a long list of snacks that we rely on, but one of our favorites are these Nut Butter Bites! The kids love helping with them as well – which I think makes them even more enjoyable. Kids love helping and being a part of creating the food they eat.

These amazingly healthy bites are a great snack for my active kids and only a couple are needed for them to feel satisfied. Packed with protein from the nut butter, a healthy source of energy from raw honey, good and healthy fat from the coconut and extremely low in sodium – you can ‘t go wrong with these delicious treats! They are more like a dessert than a snack. That’s always a plus!

To top off these already great nut butter bites, roll them in sucanat (unrefined cane sugar), shredded coconut, cocoa powder or mini chocolate chips (we like Enjoy Life! allergen-free brand). Hands down, these are healthier than any overly processed and refined ‘snack’ you can get off a shelf.

Sure, there’s a few minutes of time involved, but isn’t your family worth it? Of course they are!

Along with many other healthy snacks, appetizers, beverages, main dishes and desserts, this recipe can be found in my cookbook, Real Food. Real Kitchen. So Good! I hope you and your family enjoy these as much as we do!

Easy Peasy Nut Butter Bites

 

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Finding healthy options for snack time isn't always easy! This is a quick and simple snack that is protein packed and healthy all the way around! It can also be adjusted to fit any allergy needs you may have.

Author: Kari Newsom

Recipe type: Snack

Serves: 24-36

What you need:

• ½ cup organic natural peanut butter (no added ingredients, just peanuts) or nut butter of choice
• ½ cup organic raw honey
• ½ – 1 cup organic unsweetened coconut, finely shredded
• ⅓ cup organic mini dark chocolate chips, soy-free (we like Enjoy Life! brand, allergen-free)
• sucanat (unrefined sugar) for rolling the bites (other options: you can roll them in coconut, chocolate chips or cocoa powder)

What to do:

1. In a medium size bowl, mix the peanut butter and honey until combined thoroughly.
2. Add the chocolate chips. You can add more or less according to your taste (I always add the larger amount).
3. Add the coconut in ¼ cup amounts until the consistency reaches a thick, yet semi-sticky state.
4. You don’t want it so sticky that you can’t roll it, but you don’t want it so dry that it wont hold together. Find the happy medium.
5. Once you are able to roll them and they still have some stickiness to them, roll into balls and then roll in the sucanat.
6. Place on wax or parchment paper on a baking sheet or plate.
7. Refrigerate for a while so they can harden up a bit, transfer to a glass jar and keep in the fridge.

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 What is your favorite healthy snack?

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