No Bake Carrot Cake Granola Bites

In addition to weighing Team Tony down with sausage casserole before the Cure is Coming walk and run, I also decided to make something a bit more healthy.  I went with a trio of energy bites.  Last year, I made regular energy bites, and they were a hit - in fact, they were so popular that they were all gone before we even left for the walk.  Afterwards, people were begging for more, and I made another batch during the party!  I made those again this year; they are a great little treat because they are sweet with honey, have protein from the peanut butter, but also have chocolate for the sweet tooths out there, and flax to get you up and moving.

However, like I said, this year, I made three different types of energy bites.  The regular ones were a must, but I was super intrigued by these carrot cake bites.  Still healthy, with flax seed and sweetened only by honey, but they feel indulgent at the same time.  They are studded with raisins, pecans, and shredded carrot, so it almost feels like you're taking a bite of a small piece of carrot cake.  This recipe calls for almond butter - it gives it more of a carrot cake-y feel - but I realized too late that all I had was peanut butter.  I was afraid that it was going to mean that my carrot cake bites were going to taste like peanut carrot cake bites, but they were just fine.  In fact, most of the people that I polled votes these no bake carrot cake granola bites the best of my energy bite trio!  Considering how quick, easy and delicious these are (not to mention just under 102 calories and 3 WW points), you really have no reason not to try them out.

Recipe:

no bake carrot cake granola bites
from Cookin' Canuck
yield about 22 bites

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup unroasted pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
3/4 cup almond butter
3 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (packed) grated carrot
1/3 cup raisins

Instructions:

1) In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pecans and flax seed.

2) Stir in the almond butter, agave nectar, and cinnamon until well combined.

3) Stir in the grated carrot and raisins.

4) Using 2 tablespoons (packed) of the mixture for each bite, roll the mixture into bite-sized balls.  You can spray your hands with cooking spray to stop the mixture from sticking.

5) Place the granola bites on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Serve.

6) Store the remaining granola bites in an airtight container for up to 1 week.