It’s another cold weekend in Boston with temps in the low 30’s. Since it’s Sunday and not the best day to be outside, we are focusing on our meal prepping for the week with healthy, satisfying recipes including these delicious Nutella energy bites.
These bites are the perfect pre-workout snack or great to enjoy when you need a kick of energy or something to fight off those sweet cravings. The only sugar in this recipe is a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup, but you can add less or omit altogether if you are trying to cut down on your sugar. I prefer a little sugar in my pre-workout snack and these have just the right amount. Not to mention, the honey compliments the hazelnut butter to make these taste so much like Nutella!
Hazelnuts are great as they are rich in vitamin E, calcium and potassium and may help regulate blood sugar levels which is another reason not to feel guilty about these!
Nutella Energy Bites Recipe:
Yields 8-10 bites
1 cup of Hazelnut Butter (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon of honey (or maple syrup if vegan)
1/4 cup of almond meal (or flour)
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1 pinch of seat salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of cacao powder
Instructions:
Add nut butter, honey, vanilla extract, coconut oil into a small boiling pot and heat on low until honey and coconut oil melt and then stir mixture together with a spoon
Transfer hot mixture to medium sized (heat safe) bowl and mix in remaining ingredients with a spoon.
If mixture is too liquid, add more Almond meal
Let mixture cool for a minute and then use your hands and palms to roll into bite sized balls and place them on a plate with wax paper. Sprinkle cacao powder and cinnamon on them (optional)
Transfer bites to an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to a week
Hazelnut Butter Recipe:
1 pound (or 3 cups) of raw hazelnuts
Instructions:
Add hazelnuts to a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 350 degrees F in the oven for 12-15 minutes until fragrant and brown
Remove from oven and let cool slightly
Try and remove most of the skin from hazelnuts with a kitchen towel or paper towel by rubbing them off. If not all the skin is removed, thats fine, you just may not get a smoother texture.
Transfer hazelnuts to food processor and process on high for a few minutes until a smooth, buttery consistency is achieved. Don’t worry if yours doesn’t come out perfectly smooth as it can be hard to remove all the skin.
Transfer to a bowl and let sit to cool for a few minutes and then add to an air tight container and transfer to the fridge to stay fresh for a couple of weeks.
Hope you enjoy these recipes!
Are you meal prepping today? What are some of your favorite healthy recipes?
