These no bake cashew banana chocolate chip bites are delicious for a quick snack. Keep them frozen and enjoy one straight from the freezer.
Wednesday is a cross training day. I spent an hour on the bike yesterday. Some of my random thoughts & observations during that time:
1. 15 mph is fast enough that when a bug flies into your mouth it will be forced to the back of your throat and make you choke.
2. People that obliviously take up the entire width of the bike trail make me want to purposely run them over. It’s called karma.
3. I’d love to know what men in cars who yell out vulgar obscenities to woman as they drive by actually expect. A witty response? A proposition? Enlighten me, please.
4. Like most of Maroon 5’s songs, Moves Like Jagger annoys the hell out of me.
5. I get a weird sense of satisfaction booking it by runners when I’m going more than twice their speed on the bike. Odd, considering I’m usually the runner.
6. I wish duathlons were more popular. I’d totally do one.
7. 24 squats, 12 lunges, 12 jumping lunges & 12 jumping squats [x2] is one sick, torturous way to end a strength training session. If you want to be able to move the next day, I don’t suggest it.
8. Cashew Banana Chocolate Chip Bites make a damn good snack.
These were an experiment. I wanted something like these cherry coconut chocolate chip bites but with a twist. So, I went for banana.
Here’s a newsflash for you: bananas are moist. Moist makes a no-bake dough ball interesting. And by interesting, I mean wet. And now I just used the words “moist” and “wet” in back to back sentences. *Cringe*
The solution? Freeze them! Worked like a charm. So well in fact, that I’m giving you the recipe because for awhile there in the beginning, it was doubtful this one was making it up here.
Cashew Banana Chocolate Chip Bites
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain cashews
- 1/4 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons almonds
- 1/2 small banana
- 3 teaspoons agave
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine cashews, oats and almonds in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.
- Add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips and pulse until combined.
- Transfer dough to a small bowl and fold in chocolate chips.
- Mixture will be wet.
- Freeze mixture in bowl for about 10-15 minutes.
- Once dough has firmed up, roll into small balls.
- Keep frozen in a freezer safe plastic bag until ready to eat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tell me something random you think about when working out?
I’d love any and all thoughts on #3!
Ever have what you thought was a kitchen flop turn into a total success?
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Hartford Marathon group has some good races. You’re not that far away:) They have the
Ten Penny Ale Shamrock Duathlon & 5K. You can bike/run, I will run the 5K. It’s not till May.
https://www.hartfordmarathon.com/#
Gina – these sound so yummy! And the ingredient list is perfect for a last minute snack.
Seriously I usually think how many Calories I will eat when I get home and if it’s really worth working out at all :)
I know it makes me happy, but if I eat twice as much when I get home, well, it doesn’t really make my butt any better. :)
I would totally join you for a duathlon. Maybe you should get a bell or horn on your bike so you can honk right back at them. That would surprise them.
I share your excitement at passing runners.
I was like ummm… recipe?? When I first saw the balls…they look so good:) I love that you added actual banana to them.
When I run I imagine how amazing it will feel to cross the finish line of my first half…. it gives me a total rush!!
Men that yell ridiculous vulgarities at women drivers are just clueless haha I don;t think THEY even know what to expect and have an inflated sense of awesomeness. Don’t you just want to burst those bubbles sometimes? haha
Once I completely butchers cutting up these ultra gooey brownies I was bringing to a party… so I just rolled up brownie balls… they looked totally intentional! They were awesome!!! And fun to freeze :)
Looks like a great snak, I spent one one per day riding bike :)
I don’t get why guys catcall either! I can’t imagine it worked for them in the past.
Haha…I’m actually a fan of Moves Like Jagger! Some of their songs definitely do annoy me, but I enjoy this one.
Those cashew balls look amazing, would have never though to include a banana, how delicious! :D