Ingredients
- 8 oz. (about 1 packed cup) chopped dates
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds or flax seeds
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats (dry, not cooked)
- 1 cup toasted coconut flakes
- 1 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Method
Combine
the dates, honey, pumpkin puree, chia (or flax) seeds, cinnamon,
ginger, nutmeg and salt in a food processor, and pulse until smooth and
combined.
Transfer
the mixture to a large bowl, and stir in the oats, coconut flakes and
pepitas until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30
minutes.
Once
the mixture is cool (and easier to work with), use a spoon or cookie
scoop to shape it into your desired size of energy balls. (Mine were
about 1-inch in diameter.) Alternately, you can line a small baking pan
with parchment paper, and press the mixture evenly into the pan, let it
cool, and then cut into bars.
Store
covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (Storing them in the
refrigerator especially helps the energy bites hold their shape.)