Energy Bites

I’m not sure where these little things originated, but they are all over the internet now. I’m just now getting to post them here on my blog, but I’ve made these now about three times and they are delicious. A great little grab ‘n’ go before you have to head out the door.

I roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and allow them get firm while sitting on a plate. When set, I just throw them into a zip lock bag and store them that way.

(Side note: We’ve been Gluten Free for years and we find the best place to get the things we use most, like the oats and DF chocolate chips in this post, are at Wal-mart. Hands down, the best prices around.)

Hope you like these as much as we do!

Ingredients:

1 Cup- gluten free oats (dry)

2/3 Cup- coconut flakes

1/2 Cup- peanut butter

1/2 Cup- Flax seeds (I grind mine in a coffee grinder I use for blending my own spices. Or you can leave them whole.)

1/2 Cup – dairy- free chocolate chips (I use this kind. You don’t even know the difference.)

1/3 Cup – honey

1 Tbsp. – chia seeds

1 tsp- vanilla extract

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. Form one inch balls and allow to set in the frig for 30 minutes. Then eat.

Once set, you can remove them to a zip lock bag and store them that way to take up less room in the frig.

Enjoy!

*Just a note from me to you about dairy:

For years I struggled with stomach issues to the point of writhing in a cold sweat on the bathroom floor in excruciating pain and being tested for Celiac Disease, twice. I started to gain back weight at an alarming rate. I gained back 20 of the 23 pounds I had lost from just a few years prior and didn’t know why since I was still eating the same way and exercising.

When we move to Florida, I was seen by a Functional Medicine Dr who tested me for food allergies since they play a large roll in Hashimoto’s. He found I was allergic to dairy and bananas. DOH! When my stomach would hurt, I would say to my husband, “I’m going to have a yogurt and a banana to settle my stomach now.” I was stunned. (I also test positive for the DQ8 Celiac gene, but do not have active Celiac. Another reason in addition to the Hashimoto’s, I need to remain strictly gluten-free.)

My new Dr. told me it would take 3 months to see the inflammation go down at a cellular level and that what I was mostly seeing in weight gain was inflammation, which is not good for any system of your body. I didn’t believe dropping weight would happen that easily, but lo and behold, within 3 months, I started to see the scale go down. I am happy to say that now, I never had a stomach ache since and am never on the floor reeling in pain after a meal. And, I’m down a full 12 pounds since removing it from my diet.

It was a struggle at first even though the only dairy I ate was yogurt, butter and some cheese (hence, not posting recipes for awhile.) But, now… I don’t even miss it. If you or someone you know struggle with severe stomach aches and pain, rapid weight gain, eliminate dairy (no cheating) from your diet and see if it helps you.