Pecan Pie Energy Bites – Vegan + Gluten-free

I don’t know about you but I’ve been feeling a little down and out lately. Maybe its the rainy, almost winter-like weather we’ve been having lately (ummm Mother Nature: it’s Spring…just in case you forgot. K, thanks), but whatever it is, Netlix and I have been super besties this week. It’s also why my posting schedule has been a little wonky lately – sorry, everyone!

At times like this when I find myself feeling unlike my usual self, having healthy, easy snacks at hand is key to keeping up my energy levels and helping me from eating all the junk food in my cupboards. These Pecan Pie Energy Bites are my current snack addiction to keep nearby and oh boy, are they ever delicious with a capital D!

Now I know I’m a little late to the energy bite train, but better late than never, right? This was my first stab at making energy bites and they turned out better than my inspiration, if I do say so myself. They’re quick, easy, insanely tasty, naturally sweetened and incredibly snack-able. In other words, they’re perfect! These Pecan Pie Energy Bites need only 5 ingredients and 15 minutes of your time – see, truly the perfect snack! Plus, this recipe is vegan, gluten-free and almost- raw! Race you to the kitchen?

Last week I was standing in line at our local Homesense store, waiting to return some items when I noticed that I felt a little dizzy and light headed and had a slight shake in my legs – as someone who has always been greatly affected by a need to eat regularly, I immediately recognized that I needed to get some food into me, stat! Thankfully Homesense is one of those stores that has their cash area bursting with impulse items, including a whole section of snack foods. I scanned the selection quickly and noticed one of my favourite brands – a Cliff Bar. I quickly grabbed the bar, proceeded to the next open cash and was on my merry way, tearing open the wrapper and sinking my teeth into that delicious bar before I even set foot out of the store. I waste no time when it comes to food! Now this particular Cliff bar was a seasonal flavour – pecan pie – and after one bite, I knew I needed to try and replicate the flavour at home. I made sure to save the wrapper after devouring the bar in about 0.5 seconds and quickly began thinking of what I had on hand to make my own version of this yummy treat.

Now if you’ve check out the first post in my Gluten Free Vegan Pantry Staples series, you’ll know that I keep a pretty wide variety of nuts and seeds on hand in my pantry. Obviously the key ingredient to these Pecan Pie Energy Bites is pecans, which give these Pecan Pie Energy Bites their delicious buttery flavour. Toss those together with some dates, oats, a bit of cinnamon and a sprinkle of maple syrup and we’re in serious snacking business!

Pecans, like most other nuts are rich in calories, making them perfect for these Pecan Pie Energy bites – Calories = Energy. Pecans are also a great source of all sorts of other health benefits:

• They are an excellent source of fiber.
• They can aid in weight-loss by helping your feel satiated and satisfied longer.
• They are cancer superheroes – rich in many phyto-chemical substances, the compounds found in pecans can help the body remove toxic oxygen-free radicals and thus, protect the body from diseases, cancers, as well as infections.
• They are a rich source of several important B-complex groups of  vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folates. Together, these vitamins work as co-factors for the enzyme metabolism inside the human body.
• They are also rich in minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium. (source)

See, now you can snack and feel super happy about all the healthy, positive things you’re doing for your body. No need to feel guilty while binge watching several seasons of Bones and snacking on these delicious Pecan Pie Energy Bites…well, unless you perhaps eat all of them in one sitting? Oops?

I’m so happy with how my first venture into Energy bites turned out that I can’t wait to try all sorts of other flavours in the future – don’t worry, I’ll make sure to share all the recipes!

Try these yummy Pecan Pie Energy Bites for yourself – they will not disappoint! Make sure to tag your pictures with #glutenfreeveganpantry when you post them to Instagram, Facebook, Google+ or Twitter – I absolutely adore seeing other people enjoy my recipes, it’s incredibly heartwarming! In fact, I’ll probably brag about it to all my friends 🙂

If you’re not already, make sure to follow our social media outlets – Instagram, Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Pinterest – we’re everywhere! I love to share sneak peeks, behind the scenes pics and the occasional fur-baby photo. Make sure to tell your friends about us too – the more, the merrier!

4.0 from 1 reviews

Pecan Pie Energy Bites - Vegan + Gluten-free

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

These Pecan Pie Energy Bites are quick, easy and perfectly delicious. They taste just like the real deal without all the prep work, wait time or mess - an excellent thing, indeed!

Author: Savanna @ glutenfreeveganpantry.com

Recipe type: Snack

Cuisine: Vegan

Serves: 25 bites

Ingredients

• 2 cups medjool dates, pitted
• 1½ cups pecans
• ½ cup rolled oats, gluten free certified
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. Place dates in food processor and process on high for about 45 seconds, or until a date ball begins to form.
2. Add the pecans and process for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, scraping down the sides of the processor bowl, if necessary and process for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Using a small ice cream scoop or 1 Tbsp measuring spoon, roll the mix into balls with your hands. You should end up with 25 balls from this recipe. Alternatively, you could place the mix into a 9 x 9 pan lined with parchment and cut into squares. Rolling these into balls is way less work though!
5. Enjoy right away or pop into the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
6. Store in a sealed bag or air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

While naturally sweetened, my husband found these a tad too sweet (he's not a sweets guy) but found that pairing these with coffee was the perfect solution. If you like yours less sweet, cut the maple syrup in half.

If you want to make these entirely raw, omit the maple syrup.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 ball Calories: 77 Fat: 5g Carbohydrates: 9g Sugar: 6g Sodium: 0mg Fiber: 1g Protein: 1g Cholesterol: 0mg

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