This energy bites recipe is sugar-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free, but it’s certainly not lacking in flavor. These bites make a perfect snack with a light, natural sweetness — a great sugar-free dessert or grab-and-go treat.
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This sugar-free energy bites recipe grew out of what I jokingly call The Great 2016 Strawberry Crisis. My mom planted an enormous number of strawberry plants and we wound up with more berries than we could reasonably eat — several weeks’ worth of five-gallon buckets full.
At first we happily consumed strawberries daily and shared them with friends and neighbors. Then, after a week or so of that intense strawberry intake, my seasonal allergies suddenly worsened to the point that my usual allergy medication seemed ineffective. Later the same day after eating sardines and spinach I felt even worse. I discovered those foods — including strawberries — can flood the body with histamine in sensitive people. I must have overloaded my system with too many strawberries in a short period.
I stopped eating strawberries and felt completely better within a day. I avoided them for nearly a year, until spring brought fresh strawberries back to the market. I tested them cautiously, and happily they were fine. To celebrate, I created this recipe I call Strawberry Shortcake Energy Bites.
These bites are ideal topped with a strawberry slice and have a pleasant, balanced sweetness without being overpowering. They’re sugar-free, naturally gluten-free if you use gluten-free oats, dairy-free, vegan, and can be made Paleo by substituting almond flour for the oats.
Strawberry Shortcake Energy Bites Recipe
Strawberry Shortcake Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (substitute with almond flour if Paleo)
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- 10 dates, pitted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp virgin coconut oil
Instructions
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Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
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Roll the mixture into approximately 20 bite-sized balls.
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Refrigerate the energy bites for at least one hour before serving to help them firm up.
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For the best presentation and flavor, top each bite with a thin strawberry slice.
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition facts are included as a courtesy. They are estimated based on typical ingredients and brands and are not guaranteed to be exact. If applicable, sugar alcohols have already been removed from the total carb count.
Feel free to give your Strawberry Shortcake Energy Bites a little strawberry hat — they look cute and taste even better that way.
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