Hangry – The word ‘hangry’ is a concise way to describe a common feeling. Hangry is a clever word combination of hungry and angry, and an adjective that describes being irritable due to hunger, according to Webster’s Dictionary.
Anyone who works with me knows that I keep snacks in my drawer (fruit roll-ups, whole fruit, or granola bars) so that in the event I begin to feel hangry, I’ve got relief nearby. Sometimes I can feel myself getting hangry mid-morning and nobody wants me to get hangry. Nobody. So, I grab a healthy snack.
Inspired by our healthier “lifestyle” (we’re not calling it a diet), I was inspired to make No Bake Energy Bites: A Mid-Day Snack to Keep You From Feeling Hangry. They taste like no bake cookies and curb your hunger thanks to the addition of oatmeal and chia seeds, a popular ingredient in smoothies and granola bowls. Chia seeds are a trending super food high in nutrients that provides boost of energy. You can purchase them in bulk at any health food store. Because they expand a bit when wet, they make you feel full! Oh, and total bonus…chia seeds are suppose to promote healthy skin and reduce the signs of aging. Well, duh! I think I’ll add them to every early morning breakfast.
Using quick oats as the base, the mix-in ingredient options are about as endless as your imagination. For example, you can make ingredient substitutions or try these flavor combinations:
- butterscotch chips for chocolate chips
- chopped dried bananas, bacon bits, and peanut butter
- dried apple chips with raisins and cinnamon
- sunflower seeds instead of peanuts or almonds
- Nutella and dried berries like cherries or blueberries
- crushed honey oat cereal and peanut butter
- cranberries, raisins, and toasted coconut with Nutella (see photos below)
Making No Bake Energy Bites is as easy as combining all of the recipe ingredients in a bowl, mixing them (your hands are a great kitchen tool but beware – the added honey will leave your hands sticky), and rolling them into one inch balls after the mixture refrigerates for 30 minutes. It’s a cinch!
If you initially have a hard time rolling the mixture into balls, squeeze it in your hand until the mixture is tight and then use both hands to form a one-inch ball. Tip: Layer parchment paper (or wax paper) between the layers of energy balls in an airtight container before you store them in the refrigerator for at least two hours. I’m impatient and put my Tupperware container of energy bites in the freezer for one hour. A-c-t-u-a-l-l-y, I must admit that I ate one before the rest even made it into the refrigerator. They’re simply delicious!
There you have it! No Bake Energy Bites are healthy for you and will save you from hunger pains at work so you don’t “bite” your co-worker’s head off. Yes, I went there (insert eye roll). Grab some oatmeal and your favorite mix-in ingredients and get started making tomorrow’s mid-day snack (or breakfast)!
No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 c. quick oats
- 1/2 c. natural peanut butter
- 1/3 c. honey
- 1/4 c. cocoa
- 2 T. chopped almonds
- 2 T. milk chocolate chips
- 1 T. chia seeds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients with a spoon.
- Refrigerate mixture in the bowl for 30 minutes.
- Remove bowl from the refrigerator and shape it into one-inch balls.
- Place energy bites into a airtight container. Separate layers with wax paper or parchment paper.
- Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.
Enjoy friends.
