Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Bites

Do you love no-bake cookies, but hate how much sugar is in them? Are you always looking for a quick, delicious, dessert-bite that isn't going to break the calorie bank?

I recently came across a recipe for no-bake energy bites that I just had to try. Peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate? It's like they were invented just for my taste buds! There are eight delicious ingredients in this recipe... rolled oats, flaxseed meal, flaked coconut, honey, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder.

The original recipe doesn't call for cocoa powder and they are delicious without them, but I was looking for something more... In my opinion the original recipe was so much like the super sweet chocolate no-bakes that I needed to take it up the last notch. So cocoa powder it is! When I make this recipe it seems like my bites are not as moist as the original recipe. I'm not sure if it's the kind of oats I'm using or what, but I actually love the texture a little firmer. So here we go:

Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Bites
(makes 18 bites)

1 cup rolled oats (oatmeal)
1/2 cup peanut butter (or any nut butter or sun butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Press into a tablespoon measuring spoon to shape and place on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Store in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator.

Notes:
1. Roger thinks I should omit the chocolate chips. I'm willing to try it, but I do like them very well just the way they are!
2. The first time I made them I didn't have coconut and they turned out delicious without it.
3. It says you can keep them in the fridge for up to one week, but we haven't been able to keep them around that long.
4. These make awesome breakfast bites for little boys who don't like to eat breakfast (and also may need the extra fiber in their diets.)
5. You can use any kind of oatmeal, but I really love the chewy, nutty flavor of rolled oats. It's the only kind of oatmeal we eat around these parts!
6. Each ball is approximately 80 calories with all the ingredients, so if you leave something out like the coconut or chocolate chips, you can eat more of these delicious morsels!

Let me know if you try them! I hope you like them as much as we do!