I caved today. After years of turning my nose up at all the yoga-pants-wearing, kale-eating, “I only shop at Whole Foods” granola moms who insist on cooking with only organic ingredients, I finally caved. I became one of those Whole Foodies who spends three times as much than she needs to because the recipe calls for almond flour and ground flaxseed. But hey- before you poo-poo me with that look of disdain on your face, let me just say that I did NOT buy the natural peanut butter or pure maple syrup! Some things are just not worth it. But today, I wanted to do this recipe justice, and make it full of as many whole foods (see what I did there?) as possible, since I plan on having these bad boys for a post-workout, pre-breakfast fuel for the next few weeks as I start my new clinical rotation.
I prefer to work out in the morning, and my schedule for this upcoming rotation requires me to be at clinic by 7:30, which means that I need to be at the gym by 5:30am if I want to get my full workout in. I’ve been looking for a recipe for a good post-workout snack that I can take with me to clinic, something with a good balance of protein and carbs, that will help me refuel without giving me GI issues or taking the place of a real breakfast (if I eat too big of a snack after a workout, I tend to try to “push back” a real meal and end up not fueling enough!)
Adapted from one of my favorite blogs, fANNEtastic food, these peanut butter power bites are packed with wholesome ingredients including oats, flaxseed, and almond flour. Just under 100 cals a pop, they also have a great balance of carbs, protein, and fat to be enjoyed as a post-workout snack or breakfast on the go! They’re sweet enough to feel like a treat (especially for all of the other athletes out there who tend to crave sugar after your run!), but not so sweet that you feel like you’re eating dessert. You can also freeze these in ziplock snack bags and grab one or two in the morning before you head out the door- they’ll be nice and chewy by the time you’re ready to chow down!
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 heaping tsps vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter, melted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (honey would also work!)
- 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Preheat oven to 350 deg.
- In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients from oats to raisins and stir to blend .
- In another smaller bowl, melt peanut butter. Stir in applesauce, maple syrup or honey, almond milk, egg white, and vanilla until combined.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to incorporate.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow mixture to set.
- Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. When cooled, heap 1 tbsp mounds of mixture about 1″ apart on baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 deg.
Claire Tastes 
you’re quite the dedicated exerciser! i think these sound great, and worth every penny!
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