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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Energy Bites

Nov 27, 2020 09:30AM ● By Mackenzie Burgess, RDN
Energy bites recipe

photo by Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

Yield: 12 large bites or 24 small bites 

These energy bites are the perfect snack to grab and go. They’re completely customizable and take 5 minutes or less to make. It’s easy to create festive, colored bites for the holidays. Simply add one-quarter cup of oats into a bowl with 15-30 drops of food coloring and give it a stir. Then, simply roll your finished balls in the food-colored oats.

1 cup rolled oats or quick oats
½ cup add-ins (dried fruit, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, chopped nuts or a mixture)
½ cup nut or seed butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sun butter)
1 Tbsp liquid (plant-based milk, dairy milk, water, coconut oil)
2-3 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

Add oats, add-ins, nut or seed butter, and liquid to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Mixture should be slightly sticky, but still crumbly.

Add in honey or maple syrup, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired sweetness. Stir until mixture starts to come together in a sticky ball. If the mixture is still too dry, add in 1-2 more tablespoons of liquid.

Place bowl in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill, then roll mixture into balls using hands.

Store in the fridge until ready to eat or pack into a jar for a gift. Store any leftovers in fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.


Recipe from Mackenzie Burgess, Cheerful Choices.


More Holiday Gift-Giving Recipes

photo by Mackenzie Burgess RDN

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Spread cheer over the holidays with this delicious recipe for Christmas Cocoa Crunch Bark, a healthy way to sweeten the season. Read More » 

 

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Spice up dishes with the zesty blend of flavors in this recipe for Ras el Hanout, great for sprinkling onto roasting vegetables or added to falafel mixes, soups, stews and tagines. Read More » 

 

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Rosemary-Infused Vinegar

This fragrant, versatile rosemary-infused vinegar recipe makes a delightful holiday gift that can be enjoyed for months, delicious in salad dressings, on vegetables or added to sauces. Read More » 

 

In-Print recipes vegan vegetarian National Content Holidays Plant Based December 2020
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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