Lemon Coconut Chia Bites

Believe it or not… not everyone likes chocolatey snacks. And not everyone can tolerate dates, a common ingredient and base to homemade energy bites.

There are a bazillion recipes out there for energy bite recipes, but they’re not all the same nutritional profile. Some are high in added sugars and others have zilch on the protein or fiber count. I typically recommend we look for a good ratio of carbohydrate and protein so the snack “sticks” (= lasts longer) and keeps our blood sugar fairly stable.

A star of the show here is the chia seed. These teeny tiny seeds feature a good source of fiber, protein, omega-3… and plus, when they get stuck in your teeth, they are a “long lasting” energy source. (ha ha… be sure to check your teeth before you hop into that Zoom call)

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 c (110 gm) almond flour (I used this one by Bob’s Red Mill)

• 1/2 c (30 gm) unsweetened flaked coconut

• 1/4 c (25 gm) vanilla whey isolate (I use Thorne; you can use any vanilla-flavored protein powder if you’re not into whey)

• 2 Tbsp (24 gm) chia seed

• juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon

• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of maple syrup

• sea salt, 1/2 tsp or to taste

Preparation Steps (yield: 16 count)

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until mixed well. If you find the mixture is too wet, you can add more coconut or flour (start with a small amount). If the mixture is too dry, you can add a small amount of water.

2. Roll into balls and store in airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to enjoy.

Basic Nutrition Info (per ball):
68 calories
4.5 grams carbohydrate (1.5 grams fiber)
3.5 grams protein
4 grams fat
~1:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein

I’m not using these during my training runs, but instead are using these as a non-chocolately option to include in a daily snack. These are not overly sweet, so if you’re on the sugar train, you may not immediately find these to your liking. But give them a few tries and I bet you’ll appreciate the flavor as is.

Let me know if you give this recipe a whirl (tag me on IG @nutritionmechanic).

-Dina