As the new dietetic intern for extension and outreach one of my jobs is recipe testing. It is a big perk of the job; I get to make and eat delicious food! This week I was able to recipe test the November recipe of the month – Energy Bites!

I am always looking for a quick and healthy treat during the working week. Meal prepping these bites helps to alleviate the stress of trying to pack my snacks for the day and looking all over the kitchen for something to bring to work with me for a snack. I can instead make the bites ahead of time and just grab them and go! The bites contain omega 3 fatty acids and fiber from the chia seeds, healthy fat and protein from the peanut butter and complex carbohydrates and more fiber from the oats to help give lasting energy through the day.

I have one tip you might find helpful for making the bites! I washed my hands and then used my clean hands to mix up the “batter” as I found that it didn’t come together as well with a spoon. It came together nicely with my hands and didn’t take much time at all. I then let it sit a couple minutes before rolling the batter into bites and putting them on a tray to go into the fridge.

Chia seeds usually come in large bags, and you may be wondering what else you can do with them? Other ways to use the chia seeds you bought for this recipe can be our Lemon Chia Seed Muffins, or you can also throw some into a smoothie or oatmeal for added nutritional benefits!  

Here is the link to find the recipe for Energy Bites: https://spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu/recipe/energy-bites/

Samantha Riess is a dietetic intern who loves cooking, hiking, and spending time with her husband and dog.