We are officially home and getting into the swing of things on our own. Sadly for me, there are no nurses (I am the nurse). Sadly for Donny, there is no morphine (too bad we couldn’t bring some home…). Friday night was rough, Donny slept through taking a round of pain meds, so early Saturday morning (as in 1:00am) he was one hurtin’ unit!
The bad part is that the pain medication doesn’t kick in right away so it took over an hour for the pain to go away. You always lose the catch-up game with Percocet. Always. Keep that in mind.
I think Dougie Fresh is thoroughly confused at the whole situation. First we were gone for four days straight and now we are home all. the. time. He hasn’t figured out why he cannot sit on Donny’s lap whenever he wants and also why Donny sleeps in the living room and not the bedroom.
Donny has tried both the bed and the couch before finally deciding that the recliner is definitely the most comfortable. I think Doug has enjoyed sleeping in Donny’s spot on the bed the last couple nights.
I go to work today so Donny will be on his own. He should be fine. He can get up and go to the bathroom and he can do most of the physical therapy exercises on his own. I can help him before I go to work, over my lunch, and after work. Hopefully he can manage in between!
So what can be better than an easy-to-make recipe for a quick, grab-and-go snack?
Peanut butter.
Yes, peanut butter can make an easy-to-make recipe for a quick, grab-and-go snack even better. Well hello Peanut Butter Energy Bites.
I make energy bites fairly frequently because they are great to grab before I head to the gym in the morning. I don’t want to eat too much before I work out, but I definitely feel like I train better with a little something in my tummy.
These bites are sweetened with dates, aka nature’s candy. I love dates. Like looooovvveee dates. I could eat an entire package of dates if I wanted. I like to keep them on hand, but then catch myself grabbing one or two every once in a while when I walk past the pantry. I guess there are worse things I could be grabbing, but still they are addicting.
I also used soy protein powder that I bought in the bulk section of Lucky’s Market. I am guessing it would be fine to use whey protein, but keep in mind that the soy protein I used was flavorless.
Have you tried peanut powder before? PB2 is a popular brand or PB Fit is another. It is basically peanut butter with all the fat and moisture taken out (hence why it is a powder). I don’t like it in place of peanut butter all the time, but there are certain circumstances where it comes in handy. For example, I use peanut powder in my smoothies when I want that subtle peanut butter flavor. I will also occasionally mix it in Greek yogurt or, like now, in energy bites!
This recipe has not one, not two, but three different forms of peanuts. Peanut butter is used, peanut powder, AND chopped peanuts are all used in these delicious, bite-sized snacks! You’re welcome.
One more reason I love energy bites is because you can freeze them. I made a batch of these Peanut Butter Energy Bites, but knew I wouldn’t get through all 20 before they went bad. I ended up freezing most of them. I kept 8 in the fridge, then froze the other 12 in batches of 4. When I finish the ones in the fridge I pull another baggie out of the freezer so they can thaw. Boom, they are ready the next morning. Easy peasy.
Check out my other energy bite recipes including Apricot Coconut Protein Bites & Snickerdoodle Energy Bites.
- 1/2 cup dates, pitted and soaked
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used fresh ground from Whole Foods)
- 1/4 c + 3 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup soy protein powder
- 1/4 cup peanut powder (such as PB Fit or PB2)
- 1/4 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
- 1 Tbsp quick oats
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Add dates and peanut butter to a food processor. Gradually add almond milk and process until smooth.
- Scoop the contents of the food processor out and put in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add soy protein and peanut flour and stir with a large spoon until well combined. Add the salt and quick oats. Finally add the chopped peanuts and stir until well incorporated.
- Roll one tablespoon of dough into a ball and continue until all dough is gone. Refrigerate energy bites.
- Dates can be soaked in water for 1-2 hours, or to speed the process up soaked in hot water for 2 minutes.
- Keep energy bites refrigerated for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
