I love a good granola bar, and not the kind packed full of preservatives and other ingredients I can’t even pronounce.  I mean the really good for you granola bars, with real, whole ingredients.  I was thrilled to come across these no-bake bites from the Dainty Chef and try them out.

The best part is that you can substitute ingredients if you prefer something else, but I liked the sound of the original combination.  The only change I made was using dark chocolate chips.  These were a little difficult to roll up, feeling like I got more on my hands than I did in the bites themselves.  Maybe next time I’ll spray my hands with cooking spray (or I suppose I could invest $5 into a cookie scoop!), because there will be a next time.  Or even try putting them in a pan and cutting them into bars.

These would be a great little snack for camping or hiking, good for the kids, and perfect for back to school.  Speaking of kids, Nate likes to put a couple of these in his lunch and really enjoys them.  They really fill you up.  I love the coconut, though I know most people either love it or hate it, and the peanut butter with the dark chocolate combination is heavenly.

No-Bake Energy Bites

Source: Adapted from Dainty Chef
Servings: 15-20 Bites

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/3 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 dark chocolate chips (sub your favorite)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine oats, coconut flakes, flaxseed/wheat germ, and chocolate chips.  Stir in peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until well combined.  Refrigerate for at least one hour.

2. Using a cookies scoop or your hands, roll the mixture into 1-2″ balls.  Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.