Peanut Butter Pumpkin Energy Bites

Scrumptious little peanut buttery energy bites with real pumpkin and autumn spices, craisins and pepitas, sweetened with just a hint of maple syrup. Full of fiber and protein, one or two little bites are enough to give you a long-lasting burst of energy and they’re super easy to make! Leave behind all those spendy energy bites at the store … you can make these little yummies at home without even turning on the oven.

I’ve been making homemade “power bars” for myself for quite a while now, but last time I made them, I shaped them into little balls instead of squishing them out in a pan, then cutting into bar shape. I found I like the ball shape a little better … easy to grab, fun to munch. A great little healthy sweet snack whenever I need a little energy (or protein or fiber).

Last week I ran out of my go-to little snacks, so they were on my list to make again soon. But yesterday for the first time in (what feels like) AGES, I had the opportunity to go to a yoga class IN PERSON with my favorite yoga teacher Roscha. Roscha and I have been super careful ever since the pandemic started, only teaching zoom classes, but one of our yoga friends wanted to host an outdoor yoga class at her farm, so she convinced Roscha to do an outdoor class. I was SO excited that the weather was going to finally cooperate and let us do yoga together in a safer way.

I woke up Saturday morning all excited to go and suddenly my brain screamed excitedly, “PEOPLE! You’re going to see PEOPLE today! You MUST bake!” … and so I sprang out of bed, cleaned up the mess in the kitchen and started thinking about what I had time to bake before I ran off to yoga. It takes a while to drive out to the farm … I know this because I’ve driven out there many times since COVID began to get farm fresh eggs. And even though I woke at 7ish and yoga wasn’t until 9:30, I had to give myself time to shower and gather things before the drive out into the country.

I decided that scones were in order … and since it IS pumpkin season, it had to be pumpkin scones. I thought of the pumpkin I’d baked up last fall and then stashed away some of it in the freezer when I couldn’t use it all … I knew right where it was. I grabbed it and put it in the microwave to thaw as I cleaned up the kitchen.

Well, of course I couldn’t JUST make scones … and I knew there’s at least one person who usually comes to Roscha’s classes that is gluten free. What could I make that was quick AND gluten free? I had enough pumpkin left for one more thing, so my brain started wondering: could I substitute pumpkin for the water I usually put in my power bars? It seemed to me that this strategy would work and I thought I could make these little babies while the scones were baking.

My son came up to chat with me as I was scurrying about the kitchen, making treats for my yoga friends. I have to admit, I was a little distracted, but managed to fit in a conversation with my boy AND get things together just in time for yoga. I was a little late, so I might have sped a little bit to get there on time … fortunately it’s mostly highway driving all the way to the farm.

We were all so excited to see each other for the first time in MONTHS … and the class was awesome. The chickens were walking about and you could hear the whinnies of the horses in the background and the sound of the wind rustling the leaves on the trees. It was the PERFECT setting for an outdoor yoga class. And yes, the yoga friends were all happy to have a little treat after yoga. I thought for sure they’d all reach for the scones, but I was surprised when they all seemed to gravitate toward the energy bites first. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised–they ARE yoga friends after all! I only had a couple energy bites left when I got home … luckily I had enough pumpkin yet (and all the staples I keep on hand like PBFit peanut butter poweder and dextrin fiber powder) to make another batch for ME.

What is peanut butter powder?

Peanut butter powder (or peanut flour as it is sometimes called) is simply peanuts with most of the oil extracted. Peanut butter powder comes in several brands: PB2 was the first one I tried, but now I buy PBFit at Costco in a nice big container becuase I am seriously SUCH a peanut butter lover. I’ve also seen Jif and Skippy brands of peanut butter powder. Peanut flour is a great way to add rich peanut butter flavor, protein and fiber to smoothies, snacks and baked goods without as many calories as traditional peanut butter.

Why fiber powder?

Most of us don’t get enough fiber in our diets, and fiber is important for several reasons:

1. Fiber slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, keeping your glucose levels from spiking.
2. Fiber fills you up and makes your intestines move faster, signalling a feeling of “fullness”.
3. Fiber acts like a scrub brush for your colon, cleaning it out and reducing risk of cancer and buildup.
4. Fiber helps keep you regular.

While I try to get most of my fiber from the food I eat (oats, fruits, veggies, legumes/beans, whole wheat, nuts, etc.), sometimes I turn to a fiber supplement to help me out. For this recipe, I added dextrin (which you find in Benefiber).

How much fiber do I need?

According to the American Heart Association, most Americans get only 16 grams of fiber per day. The amount you actually need depends on your age and your sex:

Adults:

• women under 50: 25 grams of fiber/day
• men under 50: 38 grams of fiber/day
• women over 50: 21 grams of fiber/day
• men over 50: 30 grams of fiber/day

Kids and teens:

• children from 1 – 3: 19 grams per day
• children from 4 – 8: 25 grams per day
• girls 9 to 13 years: 26 grams of fiber/day
• boys 9 to 13 years: 31 grams of fiber/day
• teen girls from 14 – 18: 25 – 26 grams per day
• teen guys from 14 – 18: 31 – 38 grams per day

What can I use in place of the fiber powder?

If you are more concerned about having plenty of protein in your energy bites, feel free to substitute protein powder for the fiber powder. Peanut butter powder is technically a protein powder (your bites will be EXTRA peanut buttery then), so you can use PB flour OR you can substitute vanilla protein powder for the fiber.

I had some quality time with my kids after yoga … we sat around our table, sipping our favorite beverages and chatting. All in all, it was really a perfect morning and fantastic beginning to my weekend. These energy bites definitely made it even better … they were my only “fuel” before yoga and then I had to have another after to assuage my hunger AFTER yoga. And since I made a second batch for ME, I am set for quick snacks for the work week now!

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