No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites with Dark Chocolate Chunks

5 from 1 vote

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I am an excellent flyer and travel buddy.

I recognize the boldness of that statement, but after years of traveling with my roommate, I’m convinced that it’s true. Through his horribleness in airports/on planes, I have come to realize my gift, and for that I am very grateful. (Thank you, Logan!)

Being an awesome flyer involves many things. First and foremost, I am extremely chill. I do not panic or scream obscenities in traffic on the way to the airport, nor do I freak out and sweat through my shirt in long check-in/security lines. I never argue with TSA when they have to inspect my hand luggage (even when they break the zipper on my bag and confiscate my shampoo), and I do not lose my shit and/or ask if the gate agent is “fisting me” when told that my bag is too large to carry-on.

This laissez-faire attitude is most likely the result of traveling with my mother during my formative years. We regularly checked seventeen bags, handed over multiple items to TSA, and missed more flights than I can count, and the world kept right on spinning. As my mom likes to say, “There’s always another flight.” (Disclaimer: Never utter the last sentence to a disgruntled travel buddy. It may not go over well.)

Second, I’m always down to hang. Unlike Logan who gets rather antsy in the terminal and then promptly passes out (and snores) from take-off until landing, I rarely sleep on flights. Wanna have a cocktail and chat? I’m your girl. Into activities? Sweet. I’ll happily share my headphones so we can watch Step Brothers together (I own it!), or you can read one of the many magazines or books I bought at Hudson News. You’re very welcome.

Best of all, I have snacks! I never EVER travel without a snack pack. When I was a kid, my babysitter would pack me a bunch of healthy awesomeness to travel with (she still does it when I see her), and I’ve continued this excellent tradition on my own terms. I find that having a supply of good food in my purse is comforting, and it often helps me make friends on flights. Also, I refuse to be the person that stinks up the entire plane with Panda Express. (And when that person is Logan, I refuse to acknowledge him.)

The requirements for a good snack pack are remarkably similar to those of a sassy desk lunch. Each item should be easy to whip up in advance, keep well in Tupperware/Ziploc, and must NOT be smelly. At the very least, I like to have a piece of fruit, a grain salad or kale situation, raw nuts, and something sweet, like these No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites with Dark Chocolate Chunks.

I’ve successfully avoided the recent pumpkin madness, but this is me hopping on the bandwagon, and I have no regrets. It’s fall, dammit, and pumpkin rocks. Especially when it’s combined with dates, oats, pumpkin seeds, pecans, and lots of dark chocolate, and then rolled into adorable bite-size balls.

Seriously though, these balls! I can’t get enough! (I’m shamelessly giggling every time I type “balls.”) They’re sweet, and chewy, and nutty, and chocolate-y, and they taste remarkably like pumpkin pie, which rules. In short, each perfect bite is super-textured fall happiness in your mouth, and I’m obsessed.

You will be too…

What I love the most about these Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites (you thought I was going to say “balls,” didn’t you?) is the fact that they’re insanely nutritious. They pack more fiber than you know what to do with, lots of protein and Omega-3s, and antioxidants out the ying-yang. I even threw some magical chia seeds into the mix because you can never have too many superfoods in one place, right? The bites are also raw, vegan, gluten-free, and Dude Diet-approved, so take your shirt off! grab a can of pumpkin puree and get on board.

Oh, and as far as easy recipes go, this one’s a total winner, friends. You just throw the sticky ingredients in the food processor with some spices, pulse them a few times, stir in the oats, nuts, seeds and chocolate, and then roll the mixture into balls. There’s maybe 10 minutes hands-on time, and you’re left with 22 little bites of heaven that will keep for a week in the fridge (or infinity weeks in the freezer). Hallelujah.

I’m on a 6pm flight to Palm Beach tonight for a wedding (vamos à #cartitayjaime!), and I’ve got these bites all up in my snack pack. I hear there’s going to be a donkey carrying sacks of tequila on its back at the reception on Saturday, so I need all the superfoods I can get…

p.s. CONGRATULATIONS to Mary Curran and Briana Rosmarin, the winners of the Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen Giveaway! Thank you to all who entered and shared their awesome and hilarious tales of mastery/falure. Please know that I wanted to respond to each and every one of your comments, but I was afraid that you’d get a notification and think you had won (and most of you hadn’t). Love you, mean it!

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites with Dark Chocolate Chunks: (Makes 20-22 bites)

Ingredients:
1 packed cup chopped Medjool dates (pits removed, duh.)
¼ cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon raw honey or agave (optional)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground all spice
Pinch of salt
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats (not quick cooking!)
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup raw or toasted pepitas (you can chop them if you like)
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate (or more if you’re really into chocolate)

Preparing your No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites with Dark Chocolate Chunks:

-Place the chopped dates, pumpkin puree, honey/agave (if using), chia seeds vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, all spice and salt in a food processor.

-Pulse until the ingredients become a thick paste. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth, people, but it does need to be very well combined. Capiche?

-Transfer the pumpkin paste to a mixing bowl and add the oats, pecans, pepitas and dark chocolate. (Pepitas not pictured pictured because I was disorganized, okay?)

-Mix until well combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes until it’s cold and easy to handle.

-Using damp hands, form the mixture into roughly 1-inch balls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (Or freeze them for infinity weeks!)

Snack on.

They’re cute, right?