Oatmeal Raisin Ultra Bites
by Kelly Wolf
Spring Energy products are inspired by nature: simple, real, wholesome. Crafted in kitchens, not labs, we utilize natural, real food ingredients to create optimal recipes for endurance nutrition. Optimal endurance nutrition goes beyond what we eat during activity, but how we nourish our bodies every day. We are starting a new series on the blog called Spring Ultra Kitchen! These posts will share recipes from energizing treats to plant-based burgers, in alignment with the Spring Energy philosophy. This new recipe blog series will help you feed your passion from your own kitchen.
The first recipe to kick off Spring Ultra Kitchen epitomizes the beauty of simplicity. The simplicity of using just FOUR whole food ingredients to create a delicious, satiating snack while delivering the prized nutrients our bodies crave. That’s a beautiful thing!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ⅓ cup oats, separated
- 1 cup walnuts
- ½ cup Medjool dates (about 7 packed)
- Hot water
- ⅓ cup raisins
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350° F
- Pit dates, place in a small bowl and pour in ⅔ cup boiled water so that they are fully submerged. Let these sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add 1 cup of oats to a food processor and grind until a flour texture is achieved.
- Pour the bowl of softened dates with the water into a food processor with oat flour. Add 1 ½ tsp cinnamon & ½ tsp salt. Blend until dates are smooth.
- Add 1 cup of walnut pieces to the food processor and lightly PULSE, keeping some chunky walnut pieces. Transfer wet mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Add ⅓ cup whole oats & ⅓ cup raisins.
- Mix with a fork to fully incorporate into a cookie dough-like batter. TASTE TEST.
- Lightly grease a baking sheet and your hands with coconut oil.
- Scoop out batter, use your hands to form balls, and space out on cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, let cool and ENJOY! Makes 15 Ultra Bites.
These Oatmeal Raisin Ultra Bites are an ideal snack before heading out the door for a workout or an at-work snack break. Whether you’re looking to make morning oatmeal more convenient or you’ve got a craving for COOKIE DOUGH, this recipe is for you. Oats, walnuts, dates and raisins are all the ingredients you need along with a food processor, an oven, and 15 minutes. Make a batch to have at the ready all week for any time, quality snacking. Let’s admire the 4 superstar ingredients real quick.
OATS - a beautifully versatile grain. A complex carbohydrate with an ideal ratio of carbs, protein, and fiber. It’s so versatile that it can be ground into a hearty flour. Move over-refined, bleached, nutrient-poor flours!
WALNUTS - the king of all nuts. This nut is perhaps the most nutritious nut, full of omega 3s, antioxidants, and healthy fats. Good for your body with key amino acids while keeping you satiated. Shaped like a brain, good for your brain too with its neuroprotective compounds.
RAISINS - an underrated superfood high in iron, and packed with lasting energy from the natural sugars. They’re full of vitamins and minerals and good for digestion.
DATES - nature’s most energy-dense food, providing delectable sweetness that’s packaged with fiber for a steady glycogen release. As a huge bonus, they are full of antioxidants, way higher than any other sweetener.
Simply use these 4 core ingredients and your Ultra Bites will turn out terrific. Enhance them a tad with a pinch of salt and a couple shakes of cinnamon. They have the potential to get fancy with extra add-ins such as coconut shreds, chia seeds, or perhaps subbing chopped dried figs for raisins. Want a breakfast snack and a dessert with one recipe? Make the original recipe and when you’ve filled half the baking sheet, add dark chocolate chips to the other half of the batter. A fair compromise!
No flour, eggs, refined sugar, or oil needed. Sweetened by dates, bound by oats, made rich by walnuts, and the added gooey goodness of raisins. Be sure to scrape the bowl clean while they are in the oven- the batter is so good, you’ll swear it's cookie dough! Pair perfectly with morning coffee or a cold glass of non-dairy milk for a bedtime snack. Easily transportable and crumble-proof in the gym bag.
WARNING: your standards for snacking will heighten after making your own delicious, nutritious treats.
Happy snacking! SPRING don’t spike.
Share the goodness by tagging @myspringenergy with pictures of your Ultra Bites!
