By Brayden is one hundred and twenty-five weeks old. I had a small two-day writing-retreat at Mama’s house in Sapulpa Saturday and Sunday. Mama watched Brayden for the two days while I worked on a small new project. The project is a small follow-up cookbook idea that has been growing in the back of my mind since November — a Pantry Rules cookbook companion to the catering cookbook. The retreat was the small concentrated working-time I had needed.
The no-bake energy bites are the small kid-friendly snack I made for Mama’s pantry before the writing-retreat — rolled oats, almond butter (or peanut butter), honey, chia seeds, mini-chocolate-chips, a small splash of vanilla, rolled into small one-inch balls, refrigerated for thirty minutes to firm up. The bites are the small two-bite snack-format that travels well, that toddlers can hold easily, and that has the small-protein-and-fiber-content that turns a snack into a small functional energy-source.
The technique question on no-bake-bites is the binding-consistency. The dry-to-wet ratio needs to be right for the bites to hold their shape without crumbling. The fix is starting with the standard ratio (one cup oats, half-cup nut-butter, three tablespoons honey, two tablespoons chia, two tablespoons chocolate-chips), mixing thoroughly, and then adjusting with a small additional teaspoon of nut butter if the mix is too dry or a small additional tablespoon of oats if too sticky.
Saturday I made two dozen bites at Mama’s house before driving back to Tulsa for the writing time at our apartment (Mama and Brayden stayed at her house for the two days). The bites were Brayden’s small snack across the two-day Mama-stay. Mama and I had three each on Sunday afternoon when I picked Brayden up.
The blog’s small Sunday-publish rhythm continues. The catering business has been the small foreground of the small year’s work. The cookbook in its small online-store. The small recurring-clients (Singh family, Yates family, the corporate-luncheon brokerage) anchor the small reliable-revenue stream. The small one-off-jobs round out the small income.
Carol Bryant has been on the small Friday-call rhythm. Carol calls at five PM Tulsa time (six PM Memphis time). The call lasts twenty minutes. The conversation moves through Brayden, the small Bryant-cookbook collaboration, the small Memphis-news. The small grandmother-relationship continues to deepen.
No Bake Energy Bites
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min + 30 min chill | Servings: 20 bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the rolled oats, peanut butter, honey, chocolate chips, ground flaxseed, vanilla extract, and salt until everything is evenly coated and the mixture holds together when pressed.
- Chill the mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This firms the mixture up and makes rolling much easier.
- Roll into balls. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, portion the chilled mixture and roll between your palms into 1-inch balls. You should get about 20 bites.
- Set and store. Place finished bites on a parchment-lined tray or plate. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 105 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 13g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 35mg