Convenient Snack
No-bake and no-hassle snacks like these rice balls are so convenient — particularly on those hot days when you don’t want to use the oven! They also save really well. Store them in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for a couple of months. Similarly, these No-Bake Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies can be stored for up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.
Make sure to store to keep them handy for an after-school and kid-friendly snack or something tasty to take on your next picnic or road trip for both kids and adults alike!
Bite-Sized Energy Balls
These incredible and energizing balls can be made as is or you can get creative and make them your own with all kinds of different mix-in ideas. Here are a few ideas for alternative ingredients to make these your own.
Nut Butter: Use common pantry staples like peanut butter, hazelnut butter or cashew butter in place of the almond butter. This will help boost the protein content with a strong nutty flavor and an irresistible creamy texture.
Liquid Sweeteners: Apart from honey, consider maple or agave syrup. Just remember that maple brings a strong flavor, but goes well with fall flavors and spices.
Sticky Dried Fruits: Prunes, dates, raisins, apricots or your favorite dried fruit make a great mix-in — they add to the chewiness and sweetness!
Remember that wet ingredients serve as a binder, which keeps the round shape and everything in its place. There are plenty of options, but just remember that adding too many wet ingredients will make the balls too sticky. The dry mix-ins below will absorb all those flavors from the moist ingredients while giving your energy balls some texture.
Grain Base: Grains like rice or quinoa lay the foundation for a great energy ball. This recipe calls for Whole Grain Brown Rice because of its nutty flavor and chewy texture. However, choose which variety you like best to add in — get to know different rice varieties to select the best grain for your snack! Quinoa also brings a nice, light texture like in these tropical Aloha Quinoa Power Balls for the perfect afternoon escape, instantly transporting you to the islands — if only for a couple of minutes.
Seeds: Flax, chia, and poppy seeds add a subtle texture, while sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds give a little more crunch.
Powder flavoring: Cinnamon, finely ground espresso, protein powder and cocoa powder can be stirred into the filling; alternatively, you can roll your balls in these powders as a coating. Just remember that the flavor will be stronger, so you may want to cut the cinnamon and espresso with sugar.
Crunchy Mix-ins: Dark mini-chocolate chips offset the sweetness of the honey and prunes, but feel free to swap in semi-sweet chips. Nuts, crunchy coconut flakes or crackers can also be tossed in!
Looking for a seafood dinner option? Try our: Fried Rice with Shrimp.
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