These no-bake energy bites are quick and easy to make and are super healthy and nutritious for sustained energy.  Perfect as a compliment to breakfast, or as a snack during the day.  Oh… and they taste something close to a no-bake cookie or a Lara Bar.

My new favorite food?  Medjool dates.  They are AH-MAZE-ING!  Remove the pits from the dates, and add the dates and the remainder of the ingredients into your food processor.

Mix together until the dough starts to form a ball. It may or may not stick together, and either way is fine.  Always be careful when removing the blade at the bottom!

Medjool Dates

Back to the dates.

Dates are rich in antioxidants and are a good source of vitamin B, iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, and healthy fiber.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties.  Did you know that vitamin B6 can improve brain performance? One great reason why these bites are great for your morning. More on that in a minute.

The Other Ingredients

You can use any kind of nut butter for this recipe – whatever your favorite is.  My personal favorite for this is Sunbutter because it is creamy like peanut butter.  Sunflower seed butter is high in Vitamin E and Magnesium.  Vitamin E is an antioxidant and free radical fighter, and also helps to oxygenate your tissues.

Raw carob powder has protein and fiber and is high in vitamin A, vitamin K. Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. Carob powder contains polyphenols which have been shown to help prevent cancer and improve cardiovascular health.

These energy bites are rich in magnesium from the Medjool dates, sunflower seed butter, and raw carob powder.  More than 300 metabolic processes in your body rely on magnesium.  It helps to build and rebuild tissue, sparks energy and relaxes blood vessels, which help to lower blood pressure.  Magnesium reaches it’s full benefit in your body when combined with calcium, which is why raw carob powder is an excellent addition to the energy bites.

This Will Turn Your Morning Upside Down

We’ve all been taught to eat the majority of our carbs in the morning, right?  Our body uses carbs to produce glucose which is a sugar that is used as the fuel that gives energy and helps to keep everything functioning. The body uses glucose immediately or stores it in the liver and/or muscles for use as needed. Conventional wisdom tells us that our morning breakfast should be high in carbs.

Well… maybe not.

Remember back in the day when the men would eat bacon, eggs, and a slice of toast for breakfast and then go out and work on the farm all day? The fat and protein combined with a few carbs gave them the satiety and energy they needed. How do you feel after eating a bowl of cereal, a pancake, or a bagel?  How soon are you hungry again?

After your body has fasted all night long, your blood sugar and insulin levels are low when you wake up. The morning is actually the time of day when your body will have the most exaggerated effect after eating carbs. This causes a surge in blood sugar.  Additionally, a large number of carbs will increase your brain’s tryptophan levels, which creates serotonin.  This makes you feel relaxed. Which is why carbs are better consumed later in the day rather than first thing in the morning.

Healthy fats help us to utilize vitamins A, D, E, and K. They slow down food absorption to help you feel fuller longer. They help to regulate hormones to keep your energy levels up. Eating healthy fats in the morning will help you to burn more energy.

Protein also helps to keep you feeling full, but most importantly, it sends amino acids to your brain to wake it up and start firing off those neurotransmitters.  Have a kid with ADHD?  This is a perfect breakfast or before school snack.

Vega is my favorite protein powder brand, and I love the mix of raw carob powder, Enjoy Life vegan chocolate chips, and gluten-free oats.

One ingredient that I did not include in the recipe was coconut flakes.  Coconut and I don’t get along very well, but a small handful of coconut flakes would be a great addition if you enjoy them.

Click on the recipe card to open a new window for a printable version.

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Love, hugs, and chocolate really does make everything better!