Mocha Energy Snack Balls

Sometimes you just need a quick little burst of flavor, ya know? Not a whole lot, just that little nibble to get you through until your next meal. Something to satiate, something for your tongue to play with, something for that little extra hit of serotonin to get you through. These snack balls are perfect because they're super easy to make, wildly versatile, offer a nice hit of sweetness, some protein, and a mess of omegas, antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients. What's better than guilt-free snacking?

I added some unflavored pea protein powder to these because I often pop one in my mouth shortly before my morning run - get a little something in my stomach without risking feeling ill. If that's not your thing, feel free to skip it. Other protein powders will work as well, but keep in mind that any flavored powder will, of course, change the outcome of the finished product.

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Ingredients

• 0.5 cup rolled oats (whole wheat, if you can)

• 4 tbsp flax seeds

• 0.25 cup pepitas (AKA shelled pumpkin seeds)

• 1.5 tbsp fresh coffee grounds (unused!)+

• 1 tbsp of protein powder (optional)

• 1 tbsp peanut butter powder (optional)++

• 6 tbsp creamy nut butter+++

• 3 tbsp agave (or molasses. H.oney also works if not keeping vegan)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 0.25 cup semi-sweet, vegan chocolate chips

Directions

• Mix together the oatmeal, flax seeds, coffee grounds, pepitas, protein powder (if using), and peanut butter powder (if using) in a medium bowl. Make sure everything is jamming together equally and the powders haven't tried to make their own little clubs somewhere - this can lead to a less than pleasant surprise while munching.

• Add the nut butter, agave, and vanilla, and mix until thoroughly combined.

• Fold in the chocolate chips until well mixed in, then pop the bowl into the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes to chill. This time is very flexible, so if you forget about it or end up leaving it for a couple of hours, no worries. You just want things to be a bit cold for the next step.

• Roll the balls into whatever size you want. I usually go for about 1 inch in diameter and get about 20 balls, but if you want bigger or smaller go for it. This size works for me because it's just the right size to invigorate my taste buds and feel like I got a little treat.

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge, and pop that sucker open when you need a little pick me up!

This recipe can be easily scaled up or down to fit your needs.

Notes

+Be sure that your coffee grounds are freshly ground and not repurposed from brewed coffee. Already brewed grounds won't have the same flavor and often get a bit chewy as they sit. You also want to ensure they're finely ground. If the bits are too big, these will be grainy, and won't offer a great mouthfeel.

++I really like peanut butter powder because it's higher in protein and lower in fat than store-bought peanut butter, while still packing all of the savory punch of its pasty cousin. I decided to include it in this recipe because it adds a little extra peanut punch, and ups the protein content a bit without also adding a whole bunch of oil and fat.

+++I love home-ground nut butter just as much as the next person, but for this recipe, it's best to use store-bought. The homemade stuff is too dry to hold the mixture together. Also, go for the creamy varieties for the same reason. I also love a little extra crunch in my nut butter, but the reduced moisture makes these little balls very dry and quite crumbly. If you're really dedicated, you could probably make all of the nut butter from powdered, but I, personally, haven't tried this.