My Secret Running Energy While Training For Grandma’s Half Marathon

My husband and I have been training to run Grandma's Half Marathon.  The weather hasn't cooperated and I'm not a treadmill kinda girl.  I haven't really been "in to it".  You have to be in the healthy mindset, so I"m grateful for the Northland Community Wellness Day and Essentia Health.  I'm sure it's all in my mind, but these Energy Bites have been a healthy God send.  They're easy to make, keep well and super yummy!

Hey, you get inspiration where you can and for me it was getting healthy on the inside to help me look healthy on the outside.  I've been eating fruit for breakfast and lots of fresh vegetables and salads for lunch and dinner.  But, what do you do to replace the snacks?  I had been buying Oreo Thins (ha! thinking that the fact they were thin was cutting back).  I have had some success with frozen Greek Yogurt Bars.  Those are only 100 calories and comes in some of my favorite flavors, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip as well as others.  But, until I attended the Northland Community Wellness Day, I didn't know that energy could taste so good.

The following recipe is credited to Essentia Health.  There is an ingredient that you might not have on hand, ground flax seed meal, but you'll be making this more than once so you'll use it up, trust me.

What you need:

• 1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 C. honey
• 1 t. honey
• 1 C. old-fashioned oats
• 2/3 C. Rice Krispies
• 1/2 C ground flaxseed meal
• 6 T. mini chocolate chips

Make it:

In a big bowl mix together the peanut butter, honey and vanilla.  Then fold in the rest of the ingredients until well mixed.  Refrigerate for about 30 to 45 minutes.  I wear my disposable gloves and shape into 1 inches balls.  They'll store in the fridge for about a week, if they last that long and makes about 20-25 bites depending on how big you make them.  I use my small Pampered Chef scoop so they are all relatively the same size.

PS:  You don't have to be training for anything to enjoy these, they're just darn good!  Thanks for sharing Essentia Health!