My sister Emily is home for the holidays! I’ve been wanting to make power bites for awhile so this was the perfect time to put her dietitian skills to use in the kitchen. We brainstormed a flavor and ways to add extra protein and came up with this yummy Banana Nut combo. She says these are great for an afternoon pick me up snack and pre or post workout.

The Recipe
2 bananas (mashed)
2T peanut (or nut) butter
4t honey
1/2 C chickpeas

2C rolled oats
2 pinches cinnamon
1T milled flax seed

1/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
2T chopped walnuts

yields 12-14 power bites

Start by rinsing your chick peas (to remove extra sodium). Then mash them with a fork or run through 3-4 pulses in a blender or food processor. TIP: Extra chickpeas work as a great salad topper!

Add chickpeas to mashed banana, peanut butter, and honey. TIP: I always have over ripe bananas that get thrown into the freezer. They work great in smoothies and they did well in this recipe too! Just let it defrost (with skin on) in a cup of hot water first. 

Combine dry ingredients (oats, flax, and cinnamon) in a separate bowl. TIP: We used instant oats but regular rolled oats would work too. They just might need longer time in the refrigerator to soften after the power bites are made.

Combine wet & dry and stir. TIP: You may need to add extra oats to get the mixture to a slightly softer than playdoh consistency – hard enough to form a ball and not overly sticky.

Add walnuts and chocolate chips then stir to evenly distribute. TIP: If you are looking to further reduce your sugar you could reduce the amount of chocolate and use mini chips to get a bit in every bite.

Use an ice cream scoop (or your hands) to form inch (ish) diameter balls. TIP: Spray the inside of the scoop with a bit of cooking spray to keep it from sticking.

Line a baking sheet or tray with wax paper and let power bites sit in freezer for at least a half hour. This allows the oats to soften and flavors to meld. Or they will be even better if you leave them in the refrigerator overnight. Store refrigerated.

And the lovely Emily ran then nutritionals for us! Estimates per power bite: 110 calories, 4g fat (1g sat fat), 18g carbs, 6.5g sugar, 2.5g fiber, 3g protein, 41mg sodium