Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites

Looking for a little pick-me-up? These energizing, tasty bites are perfect trail fuel, handy snacks, and leaf-peeping treats. Energy balls —or protein or bliss balls, if you prefer—defy their size when it comes to packing in a punch of flavor and satisfaction. They are also mega welcoming of all kinds of addends, so you have limtless ways to enhance the health benefits and flavors to taste.

Easy to make and convenient to take along wherever you go, bites like these typically blend nuts, seeds, oats, and dried fruits, making them naturally protein and fiber-rich. This particular variety incorporates pumpkin puree (not pie filling) and embraces that signature fall flavor I’ve been adoring even more than usual this year, Pumpkin Spice. If the pumpkinpalooza in your world has been feeling too much lately, though, know you could get away with sweet potato puree, too, for an equally sweetly warming twist. In addition to what’s listed, I often add in a little of Organic India’s Psyllium Cinnamon Spice Pre & Probiotic Fiber for extra digestive support.

Last week, these delightful bites did triple duty as inclusion in a friend’s birthday bag of goodies, a post long run recovery boost, and a family leaf-peeping snack. Despite the persistent hot temperatures we’ve been having here during the day, it has felt gloriously autumnal. Running on quiet backroads has been lovely with winding stretches of dirt framed captivatingly with leaves that seem to have that extra shimmery tremble as they turn. Up in the mountains, it’s gloriously golden. Not the New England blaze I grew up with, but breathtaking nonetheless. Extra special with the bugling of elk lining steep mountain slopes.

We were more pedestrian with leaf peeping than we like to be this year, but adventurous in that we brought along the pups; we just couldn’t bring ourselves to leave them behind. Felix was flanked by a dog on each side in the back of the car heading up to Estes Park—his happy place. Ewok-faced Bentley and adoringly playful prince Polo were treated to plenty of these wonderful 3-ingredient pumpkin and peanut butter treats from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken. Let me tell you, this recipe is a hit! Felix and I will be making it on the regular, for sure. For we three humans, our pumpkin bites were just right satisfaction. Hope they sprinkle a little extra spice into your fall, too. xo

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Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites

Yield: 18-20

Author: Wendy McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 cup Medjool dates, soaked
• ¼ Cup pumpkin puree
• ½ Teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ Cup almond butter (nuts only)
• 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
• 2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup oats
• ½ T pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ Teaspoon maple extract
• ½ Teaspoon vanilla
• Optional addends: chocolate mini chips, chopped pecans, dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Pulse all ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a food processor until well-mixed.
2. Add chocolate chips/addends and pulse a few more times until they are in small pieces.
3. Scoop mixture and roll into balls. Freeze until solid and store in the freezer or refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

73

Fat

3 g

Sat. Fat

0 g

Carbs

11 g

Fiber

2 g

Net carbs

9 g

Sugar

6 g

Protein

2 g

Sodium

1 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg