Inside Scoop: These Banana Energy Bites taste just like banana bread, but are loaded with healthy ingredients and are incredibly simple to make.
We admit it, we’ve been lazy lately. Cooking and creating has been on hiatus, and really our only excuse is that summer is coming to a close and it has gone by in a flash, as it tends to every year. So instead of spending our days inside prepping and cooking, the pool, the city, the beach it is.
Now, baking is something we love to do. But really, on summer days like this, heating up your entire kitchen with the oven isn’t that appealing (especially when your A/C is on the fritz), so we have to get creative with our snacks. What’s the goal here anyway?
1) Something incredibly easy to put together and takes little to no time.
2) Something cooling and light.
3) NO OVEN! No heating, raw and uncooked.
4) High in nutrients, create satiety, high in macros, low in sugar.
Yep, we hear you. We want to enjoy our summer too, and not give you unreasonable recipes with a crazy amount of hard to find ingredients that have you running all over the city. Nope, we’re not into that, because we want easy and delicious as well. Here’s something that’s raw, easy, takes about 5 minutes to prep, light, cooling and so jam packed with fiber and protein that a couple of bites will keep the hunger monster at bay. It’s a nutrient dense snack that not only you will love but everyone around you can enjoy too, world, meet Loaded Hemp & Banana Energy Bites!
They’re vegan, low sugar, gluten-free, high in healthy fats, high in protein, high in fiber, but you don’t have to think about those things, just think about how much they remind you of eating banana bread, in a way that’s really simple.
WHAT ARE HEMP SEEDS GOOD FOR ANYWAY?
We’re kind of obsessed with hemp seeds. Most of the hemp seeds that you find on the market are shelled hemp seeds, where the hard outer shell of the seed has been removed. Shelling the hemp seed produces the most nutritious and tender part of the seed, the heart. They have a creamy, buttery texture, a very mild flavour, and can be added to virtually everything, think: salads, soups, stews, desserts, ice cream, yogurt, oats, pizza, pasta… yeah, the list really goes on. And it’s weird because they are completely underrated.
DID YOU KNOW that history can date the first human relic of scrap hemp fabric to nearly 8000 B.C. So humans have been cultivating this magical crop for THAT long! It has no psycho-active properties and has been used in health foods, organic body care and clothing.
Hemp seeds are really magical to add to your daily diet, not just for their nutritional purposes, but for all the other positive features they possess as well. We could throw them into the same category as chia and flax seeds (incredible amounts of protein and fiber), but they have a much more versatile vibe to them since they are buttery and light.
AND, hemp seeds really make for a great rolling ingredient for these Loaded Hemp & Banana Energy Bites. Promise, they will keep your energy bites from being sticky to the perfect bite sized treat that is lunchbox friendly.
Here are our top 4 reasons why we’re making these Banana Energy Bites over and over:
- Control Appetite. The fiber content of the hemp seeds and oats make these banana energy bites the perfect snack to help curb your appetite.
- Balance Blood Sugars. 3 Tbsp of hemp seeds contain over 10 grams of protein. Which makes it a wonderful snack for keeping those blood sugars in check.
- Happy belly. These banana energy bites contain prebiotic fibers, which feed your healthy gut bacteria, keeping your belly buddies in check.
- Ease. These banana energy bites really take the hassle out of banana bread. Instead of baking a loaf from scratch, take a couple minutes out of your day and roll it up.
If you love how easy and healthy these Loaded Hemp & Banana Energy Bites are, you’re really going to love how easy these Apple Banana Oat Cups are.
And, if you’re looking for more healthy quick fix ideas, make sure you download our Nutritionist Approved Healthy Packaged Food List. You’ll find access to some of our favourite brands that we use when we need quick and healthy meal ideas. Download here:
Loaded Hemp & Banana Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips 70%+
- 1/4 hemp seeds
- 3 Tbsp toasted hemp seeds optional- adds crunch
- 1 banana diced or mashed
- 1/4 cup peanut butter or nut/ seed butter of choice
- 1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup for vegan option
- For additional protein + fiber add in 1 Tbsp chia seeds + 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds but not necessary
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 dash sea salt
Directions
- Mash the banana and add in the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl.
- Roll into 1 Tbsp balls.
- For extra pzazz, roll ball in hemp seeds, toasted or shredded coconut, dip in chocolate, chopped nuts, whatever your pleasure!
Recipe Notes
For additional protein + fiber add in 1 Tbsp chia seeds + 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds, but not necessary For extra pzazz, roll ball in hemp seeds, toasted or shredded coconut, dip in chocolate, chopped nuts, whatever your pleasure!
* Use Code: HempAmbassador with for 15% OFF any Manitoba Harvest products until December 31, 2017.
These little bites look delicious and ever so healthy, great alternative to banana bread, plus no oven!! yay
Absolutely! We’re just loving up anything that’s easy and simple (and requires no excess heat in this hot weather), a definite go-to for when you want that banana bread taste.