Little energy bites A.K.A, the best darn snack ever!

I am always looking for creative after-school snacks for my kiddos.  We get bored with the same old things.  I found a great recipe on, where else, PINTREST!  They are called No-Bake Energy Bites.  I have made them a few times and modified the recipe to our tastes.  We love 'em!   (For those with food allergies or intolerance, don't let the peanut butter scare you.  You can substitute sun butter or almond butter or whatever you like!)   Here is the photo recipe...

First you start with oatmeal.  These are old fashioned oats, not quick oats.  You need a cup of them.

Then there is the peanut butter.  I was scraping the bottom of the jar on this one.  You need a half cup.

Then there's the honey.  Ahhhh, honey!  You need a third of a cup of that.

Here is where I parted a bit from the recipe.  It calls for a whole cup of coconut.  When I made my first batch, I found that it was too much coconut flavor and not enough peanut butter for our tastes.  So I cut the coconut down (to maybe 3/4 of a cup if that) and added a bit more peanut butter (about the same, 3/4 of a cup instead of a half cup). 

This is another deviation.  The recipe called for a half cup of flax seed.  I didn't have flax seed but I did have bran.  So I used bran!  Totally flexible recipe!

This I did not change.  A half of a cup of mini chocolate chips.

 I took out some of a dry ingredient (coconut) and added more of a wet ingredient (peanut butter), but I wanted to keep the ratios about the same.  So I added more of a dry ingredient.  Dried cranberries (half of a cup)!  It was a great addition.  I have also made these with chopped walnuts.  Yummy.

Put it all together and what do you get?

Vanilla?  OH!  I forgot the vanilla.  1 tsp of vanilla extract will round out the flavors.

I mixed mine in a mixer but you can certainly do it by hand.

After they sit in the fridge for an hour, you can make bite-sized balls of goodness.  These are easy to eat, way too easy to eat.  So be prepared to have some self control.  Or be prepared to stuff six of these in your face at a time.  Whatever works.  The kids love them.  Especially if you call them cookie dough bites!  Enjoy!

Here is the listed recipe:

1 cup oats
3/4 cup of peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup wheat bran or milled flax seed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit
1 tsp vanilla

Mix until blended.  Chill for an hour then form into bite-sized balls.
(Of course I double this for my family:)