Written By: Gloria Tsang, RD
Title: Founding Registered Dietitian
Alumni: University of British Columbia
Last Updated on:
Super Easy Granola Bites Workout Snacks
Granola bars are super convenient as pre- or post-workout snacks. However, as much as I love desserts, I don’t always want sugar-sweetened snacks right around my workout times. Medjool dates are perfect as a sugar replacement – offering a delicate sweet taste without empty high-glycemic sugar, while providing sustaining energy for my workouts. Not only do they offer carbohydrates and natural sugar, medjool dates also provide dietary fiber as well as important minerals such as potassium, iron, and magnesium. Medjool dates also contain nutrients that help to prevent leg cramps. I sometimes prepare these granola bites as a hiking snack; they are best eaten 30 minutes prior a hike, and then every 2 hours as a replenishment.
In the following video you can see that I’ve created two versions: a regular and a high protein version made with Simply Zero organic unsweetened protein powder. The regular version provides 3.3 grams of protein while the high protein version provides 8.6 grams of protein.
Homemade Sugarless Granola Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 pc medjool dates pitted
- 1 banana ripe
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350F (175C)
- Presoak medjool dates in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes
- Add all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until it's lumpy.
- Mix in chocolate chips. Mix with a spatula
- Use a tablespoon to scoop granola mixture on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake 15 to 17 minutes
- Serve after cooling for 10 minutes
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Alumni: University of British Columbia – Gloria Tsang is the author of 6 books and the founder of HealthCastle.com, the largest online nutrition network run by registered dietitians. Her work has appeared in major national publications, and she is a regularly featured nutrition expert for media outlets across the country. The Huffington Post named her one of its Top 20 Nutrition Experts on Twitter. Gloria’s articles have appeared on various media such as Reuters, NBC & ABC affiliates, The Chicago Sun-Times, Reader’s Digest Canada, iVillage and USA Today.
gluten free, granola, healthy snacks, plant based foods, pre-workout snacks, recipes, vegan
If I don’t have a food processor, how do you think it would work to use an immersion blender (on low speed) to process ingredients for the Granola Bites?
I have once tried dropping dates into a blender (not food processor) and immediately regret doing so. The dates were so sticky and kinda slowed down the motor; I really thought that I was going to break the blender as it just kept stalling. I won’t recommend using a hand blender; I’d probably use a chopping knife and just keep chopping up the dates until they are soft and mushy.
i have been making this recipe for months. i almost always have some in the house. we love it so much i make 6 times the original recipe. instead of putting them into balls, i press into a cookie sheet and cook until brown. to increase the protein content, i add pecan pieces. i freeze what we won’t eat in short order.
Where can I get a copy of your Chinese book
Thanks