Tag: healthy snack

No Bake Chocolate Energy Balls (Healthy Vegan Snack)

I’ve been on the hunt for a high-energy, plant based snack to fuel my workouts. While I have enjoyed the Good & Gather nutrition bars sold at Target, the apple pie flavor is the only one that truly aligns with a whole-food, plant based approach.

After scrolling through countless recipes, I kept running into the same issue – ingredients that did not fit with the clean, whole-food lifestyle I aim to follow (and is the mission of this blog).

So I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Using inspiration from a variety of recipes, I created my own version: simple and completely clean.

These no-bake truffle energy bites are made with 100% whole-food, plant-based ingredients – no added sugar, salt, or oil. They are ridiculously easy to make (10 minutes tops), packed with nutrients, and honestly … they taste almost too good to be healthy.

But what makes them special is how they fuel the body.

They are the perfect storm of energy:

  • Dates provide fast-digesting natural sugars for quick energy
  • Chickpeas and peanut butter deliver sustained fuel from complex carbs and healthy fats
  • Walnuts and chia seeds offer omega-3’s and a touch of protein for endurance
  • Cocoa adds a subtle caffeine/theobromine boost along with a natural mood lift

I wasn’t expecting much – just a quick, healthy snack before heading to the gym.

Three bites later … I had more energy then I knew what to do with.

No caffeine overload. No processed ingredients. Just real food.

Dates, chickpeas, cocoa, peanut butter (all natural), walnuts, chia seeds, coconut

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 1 cup canned chickpeas drained (no added salt)
  • 2 tbsp all natural peanut butter (no added ingredients other then peanuts) or almond butter
  • 2 tbsp raw cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut unsweetened

Directions:

  1. Add all the ingredients into a food processor and blend on high for about 1 minute or until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly
  2. Roll a small amount of dough between the palms of the hands to form a ball
  3. Dip the balls in the chopped walnuts or shredded coconut
  4. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
All of the ingredients in the food processesor
The dough forms easily into bite sized balls
So delicious and pretty they could easily be a dessert

Chocolate Truffle Bites

Pepita, Sesame and Flaxseed Crisp Crackers

These crispy and tasty crackers are a cinch to make, completely fat-free and super healthy. They essentially are just flax seeds, water and whatever other seeds and spices you care to add. That’s right, you are the author of how you want your crackers to taste. In this recipe I added pepita and sesame seeds, garlic and onion powders, and lots of black pepper. Not a fan of sesame seeds? No problem. Substitute for chia or poppy seeds or whatever else excites your taste buds. Play around with the seasonings. The sky is literally the limit.

I use a silicone pad on my baking sheet so I don’t have to use any oil. This pad may not look very pretty but it works like magic. TRUST ME NOTHING STICKS! And guess what? I bought it at Dollar General in the baking section. That’s right! And it was $1.00 and completely reusable. You can also use parchment paper if you prefer.

Are you wondering what pepitas are? Well it’s a type of pumpkin seed but not the kind with shells that you scoop out of pumpkins when making jack-o-lanterns. There are actually a variety of pumpkins called Lady Godiva, Naked Bear and a few others whose seeds have no hull- and these are called pepitas! The pepitas are the signature ingredient in these crackers. They give them an earthy and nutty flavor that will make you want to dig in for seconds.

Pepita, Sesame and Flaxseed Crisp Crackers

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup pepitas
  • 1/3 cup sesame seeds
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp whole flaxseed
  • 1 tsp black cumin
Ground flaxseed, pepitas, sesame seeds, whole flaxseed, garlic powder, garlic pepper, black pepper, black cumin seeds, water

Directions

  1. Mix and stir the first 7 ingredients
  2. Pour the mixture over the silicone pad or parchment paper on the baking sheet
  3. Spread evenly over the silicone pad or parchment paper using a rolling pin. Dough should be 1/8″ thick. Tip: because my rolling pin is large I usually roll the mixture on the silicone pad first and then transfer the pad to the baking sheet.
  4. Using a pizza roller score the dough into bite size pieces (squares or triangles)
  5. Sprinkle the whole flaxseeds and black cumin over the top
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Test the centers with a tooth pick. If the centers are still soft continue baking until crackers are crispy but not burnt.
This is the dough spread on the silicone baking pad and cut into squares. The pieces do not need to be perfect. The only thing that should be perfect is the taste!
I love eating mine with my tasty Chili Black Bean Dip but they are tasty enough to just eat plain