No-Bake Energy Bites & Bars

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup crispy quinoa* or rice cereal

2 Tbsp. sunflower seeds or flax seeds

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Wet ingredients:

1/2 cup honey

1 cup almond or peanut butter

1/3 cup pitted dates

1 Tbsp. molasses (optional)

3 Tbsp. MCT oil (coconut oil, melted)

Bite-sized Balls:

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips in a bowl. Put a third of the mixture in a food processor at a time, pulsing until it's well combined. Add the chocolate chips. With greased hands, shape mixture into bite-size balls. Repeat. Chill for 30 minutes, and store in a covered dish in the refrigerator.

For traveling, put the dish in a cooler or ice chest.

Energy Bars:

Follow the above directions, but instead of making balls, press the mixture into a pan lined with parchment paper. Melt additional chocolate chips, spread on top, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

These delicious bite-sized bites/bars are full of healthy protein, carbs, and good fats, and there's no refined sugar. Keep them on hand for a daily snack. No more store-bought granola bars.!!!!

* I toasted the dry quinoa in a skillet but it was still crunchy, so you may want to use puffed rice cereal instead if the seeds will bother you.