Recipe of the Month

These high protein, lower carb energy bites are delicious and packed with nutrient dense foods like walnuts, almonds & sunflower seeds, flaxseed and almond meal, almond butter, coconut flakes and dried cherries. Everything to keep your brain, joints and heart healthy, and your immune system strong. They make a great snack when needing a boost, and pair nicely with a cup of tea in the evening- a much better option than ice cream or brownies! Recipe should yield about 20 energy bites. Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
• Generous 1/2 cup all natural almond butter
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup dried fruit: cherries, cranberries or apricots
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or Lakanto- monkfruit syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup ground almond meal
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt sea salt or kosher salt

Instructions

1. Combine the almond meal, flaxseed meal and salt and set aside.
2. Using a food processor, add nuts, almond butter & coconut oil and pulse together for several seconds.
3. Add dried fruit, maple syrup, vanilla, shredded coconut & almond meal mixture. Pulse for several more seconds, bringing the mixture together but still keeping a little texture. You do NOT want to blend until smooth.
4. Remove the blade from your food processor. You may need to mix batter together with a spoon or rubber spatula. Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls (you could also coat balls with shredded coconut if desire) then place onto a flat baking sheet or air-tight container lined w/wax paper.
5. Place the energy bites into the refrigerator, or freezer for about an hour.  Store the energy bites in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.