Quick & Easy Source of Nutrients
There’s two reasons that I absolutely love this recipe. The first is that it’s incredibly quick and easy to prepare, making it an ideal choice for anyone who needs something to just grab and go on those busy days. The second reason is that in spite of how simple they are to make, they’re absolutely loaded with nutritious ingredients that make them taste fantastic. They only require five simple ingredients: the almond butter, raw cacao powder, vanilla extract, dates, and some raw almonds. Just add a bit of hot water in and combine them all in a food processor. That’s really all there is to it in order to make these energy bites. Before we get to the actual recipe, let’s briefly go over some of those ingredients and what makes them so great.
Almond Butter & Raw Almonds
Almond butter and raw almonds are both excellent options to use for your paleo baking needs. They are an excellent source of heart-healthy fats that have demonstrated some fantastic benefits for your cardiovascular health. They reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering your LDL cholesterol (the ‘bad’ kind of cholesterol), and they also provide you with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. (1) In addition, they are quite satiating, making them a valuable ingredient to use in energy bites in order to help combat hunger pangs.
Fresh Dates
Since using refined sugars is obviously off the table while following a paleo diet, coming up with alternative sweetening options is a necessity. One of my favorite things to use in order to do so is fresh, pitted dates. Not only are they naturally very sweet, but they are also a source of dietary fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. They also have quite a variety of therapeutic benefits, such as assisting women with labor and childbirth. (2)
Raw Cacao Powder
Raw cacao powder helps to first and foremost add a delightful chocolate taste to these energy bites. In addition, they add even more valuable methylxanthine antioxidants into this recipe. These xanthines provide a wide range of fantastic health benefits, including reducing your risk of developing certain diseases as well as boosting your cognitive function. (3)
As you can see, the ingredients used in these paleo energy bites all combine to produce one incredible nutritional package in a bite-sized small package. Taking only 10 minutes to prepare, they are an excellent snack option to keep on hand for whenever you experience a hunger pang or if you just need something quick and easy to give you some energy and to get your metabolism going.
P.S. – This isn’t the only great paleo-friendly energy bite recipe that you might enjoy. Here’s a few other great recipes that you might want to try out if you’re looking for something convenient to give you that boost you’re looking for to power through your days:
#1 – No Bake Mint Chocolate Energy Bites
#2 – Coconut Lime Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1 cup fresh dates, pitted
- ¼ cup raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup raw almonds
- 2 tsp hot water (or as necessary)
Directions
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls.
- Refrigerate and serve.