Need a new no-bake snack? These Banana Nut Maca Energy Bites will give you an extra boost to power through your day. Paleo, gluten-free, filled with fruit, nuts and sweetened with dates and honey.
I’d like to consider myself an “educated” wellness junkie. I’ll fully admit to trying new health trends (and getting all fan-girl over them) but I never blindly buy into anything. I like to take the facts, assess and then apply if needed. Because, let’s be honest, while these new things are all well and good (<–my favorite website, by the way), it can feel like a full-time job trying to keep up with everything. And then you’ll actually need another full-time job to pay for these new habits.
Prebiotics, probiotics, fermented foods, anti-inflammatory foods, grass-fed, bee pollen, organic, vegan, juices, low-carb high-fat, high-carb low-fat, FODMAPS, collagen, enzymes, kombucha, matcha, maca, Spirulina. Ahhhhhh.
Overwhelmed? I understand.
Honestly, this stuff interests me and I enjoy doing the research. Plus, I’ve found a lot of things that have made me feel better (an emphasis on gut-healing foods, for example). I will (and want to) try everything at least once, but then I pick and choose what matters to me. I think that’s the most important aspect in this whole healthy-living world: trying and finding. It doesn’t hurt to try once and maybe you’ll find something you like and/or something that will make you feel good. Some things stick around (kombucha) and others are nice on occasion (like straight up green juice…I need some fruit to make it palatable).
Last week, purely out of curiosity, I bought maca powder. I’m not going to lie, it’s pricey (~$20 for a 4 oz bag), but I had a Whole Foods gift card to ease the money woes. Verdict: I like the taste. Side note: I totally thought it was going to be as green as matcha powder. Wrong.
A little about maca…
It’s an ancient Peruvian superfood known for “its adaptogenic-like qualities that enable it to nourish and balance the body’s delicate endocrine system, and to help cope with stress” (source). It can be used in smoothies, tea, yogurt, desserts or energy bars.
Which leads me to the recipe…
Truthfully, maca is not *needed* to make these energy bites. I wanted some extra oomph and to reap those sounds-too-good-to-be-true benefits listed above. Am I sold on maca? I can’t decide. I have a lot of the bag left to give it another go (probably in a smoothie) and then I’ll let you know.
As I’m sure you are aware, energy bites are easily customizable. DUH. There are only a million and one recipes on the Internet. Feel free to change-up the nut mixture (you’ll see I used cashews and walnuts). Just make sure to blend throughly :) The coconut flour acts as a binder because I used a banana and didn’t add rolled oats.
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- 8 dates (soaked in water and pitted)
- 3/4 cup mixed nuts (I used cashews and walnuts)
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp maca powder
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tsp water
- In a food processor, mix nuts, banana, honey and dates. Blend until thoroughly combined.
- Add maca powder, coconut flour and water. Blend again.
- Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes (perfect time to clean up!).
- Roll into bites (size of a golf ball) and enjoy.
- Store in refrigerator.
PIN FOR LATER:
You crack me up.
DUH
bahahahahahahahah
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Facial Hair to Flooding to Running to Food Weekend Recap
So many trends, so little time. I’m here to help ;)
I think I may just eat that gooey mixture straight from the processor ;)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted…Freedom Feature: Celine Ikeler “Karma Baker”
I definitely did :)
So dates have become my new favorite thing so I can totally get behind these energy bites — still haven’t tried maca yet though! One health trend I love definitely kombucha. It’s funny how a year ago I had never heard of it and now it is everywhere (or at least I am more aware of it being everywhere). But I just cannot get on the cricket flour health trend. I am sure it tastes fine and all but I just cannot bring myself to even try it.
Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie recently posted…Mango Almond Popsicles
I don’t remember life without kombucha! Kidding…kind of :)
You know, I don’t think I’ll try cricket flour either! I haven’t seen it in stores, but it’s not something I’d seek out.
You have inspired me to try maca! I could totally see myself eating these little bites for a quick snack :)
rachel @ athleticavocado recently posted…Minty Strawberry Avocado Salad With Citrus {Paleo, Vegan + Whole 30!}
Exactly what I’ve been doing! I had one before running errands this morning and it was the perfect portable snack.
I was interested in trying maca, but every time I see the price I just tell myself I’ll wait until the next week haha. It has so many health benefits which is awesome though. This recipe looks great too! Perfect little snack or mid-day pick me up.
Alyssa recently posted…Mental Health Monday 6/13/16: Your diet is not the catalyst to happiness
Oh yes…if it wasn’t for the gift card I would have said “maybe next week!”
These look gooood. Truth be told, I didn’t know there was a difference between matcha and maca until now :P The more you know! I just ordered a bag of coconut flour to try working with it for the first time, so I guess that’s a “trend” I’m getting into right now. Yay for all these coconut flour recipes popping up on my favorite blogs, because I’m about to have four pounds of it to bake with, haha!
Claire @ My Pink & Green Life recently posted…Do What You Love
Matcha is much prettier but has more caffeine (if I remember correctly!). Coconut flour is a great purchase! There are so many snack and dessert recipes you can make with it. I even coat chicken it it sometimes.
I go back and forth on trying all the supposed superfoods, because they tend to be really pricey (and let’s face it natural peanut or sunflower butter jars aren’t cheap already!) And I have an aversion to protein powders and other “fake” foods. So maca is one I hadn’t really given lots of thought to. Now that I’ve seen your opinion on it, maybe I’ll dip a toe…
Alyssa @ renaissancerunnergirl recently posted…Weekly Workouts and Updates 6/6-6/13
If only nut butter was less expensive maybe I’d give myself more leeway to purchase other things (I can’t give up that staple!). I don’t use protein powders or fake foods either. I’m picky about bars too.
I love health trends that are all about “healthy fats”…I am not behind health trends that don’t believe in carbohydrates! And trends that don’t allow you to enjoy life…too much restriction is never a good thing and is never sustainable. Am I right? These little bites look DELISH! XOXO
ACKTIVE LIFE recently posted…What I Eat For Dinner At Home…
YOU ARE SO RIGHT. *Mic drop*
It’s been ages since I’ve kept up with health trends, but my life changed when I discovered oatmeal. My goodness! No one else in my family likes it…. it’s my favorite.
Julia @ Drops of Jules recently posted…Traveling With Mental Health Anxiety (And How to Calm It) MHM #5
These look so yummy! What does maca taste like? Love that you used fresh banana instead of dried banana chips because I’m much more likely to have those on hand.
Also, what program do you use to make your pinnable images? They’ve been looking awesome!
Liv @ Healthy Liv recently posted…Tips for Long Roadtrips?
So I bought some maca a little while ago (almost sold an arm and a leg to pay for it) and now it has been sitting in the back of my pantry taunting me because I couldn’t really find anything to do with it. So hooray it will see the light of day and finally have a purpose.
I’m not really sold on any of these superfood powders. I feel like you can get just as much benefit from eating real, whole foods.
Megan recently posted…50 things you didn’t know about me
I actually love the taste of maca (i feel like it must be like cilantro – you either love it or you absolutely hate it. I have friends who think it taste like tree bark but to me it’s sweet and almost honey-like?) so I NEEEEEEEEEED to try these!
Kristy from Southern In Law recently posted…Why Coeliac Disease is More Than a Gluten Free Diet
banana nut is always a great combo – double points for being healthy! :)
Linz @ Itz Linz recently posted…Why I’m Struggling To Blog
I find health trends really fun to research and try out if they’re not really crazy. This looks likes a really good trend, cause those energy balls are making me hungry.
Emily recently posted…WIAW: Made for Something More