Cranberry Walnut Energy Bites

Quick & Easy and 5-ingredient Energy Balls- this recipe is a great snack for everyone to enjoy. Plus, no baking is required! Cranberry Walnut Energy Balls are made with oats, peanut butter, honey, walnuts and cranberries. Use this base recipe for energy ball recipe to make just about any flavor combination.

This post is sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation. All opinions are my own

Today I am once again partnering with the Arthritis Foundation to share more with you about how this disease affects more than 54 million Americans- including 300,000 children. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related diseases.

Through my work with them, I’ve learned just how much arthritis can affect everyday activities you love and probably take for granted- like baking, gardening, exercise- you name it. Dietary needs are also super important, something I wasn’t previously aware of.

The recipe I am sharing today for these Energy Balls. These are a perfect snack filled with whole grains, protein, and fiber.

This recipe is super adaptable for just about any flavor combination, especially if you have allergies to certain types of nuts, want to include anti-inflammatory ingredients, or have picky eaters.

I love these Cranberry Walnut Energy Balls because they are made with only 5 simple ingredients: oats, peanut butter, honey, walnuts and dried cranberries.

Plus, these energy balls take all of 10 minutes to put together, you can prepare them ahead of time to keep in the refrigerator or freezer to have on hand and they are rich in anti-inflammatory ingredients – perfect for those with arthritic conditions.

I’d like to share more with you about the Arthritis Foundations’s Live Yes! Arthritis Network. One thing that spoke to me was the resource they have for cooking with anti-inflammatory ingredients, which can help ease arthritis pain. This is one of the reasons that inspired me to create this recipe.

The Live Yes! Arthritis Network provides personalized help and support to adults living with all types of arthritis and rheumatic conditions and parents or guardians of children living with arthritis. The network offers opportunities for connection, education and empowerment via Live Yes! Connect Groups, Online Community and conferences.

I’m sharing more below about the benefits of these energy balls, how they fit into your diet and a few hacks for how-to-make them whether you suffer from arthritis or not.

3 Reasons We Love Energy Balls

• Quick and Easy to make- only 10 minutes and no baking required
• Great on-the-go snack to keep in the refrigerator or freezer
• Healthy snack packed with good-for-you ingredients like whole grain and nuts which are loaded with fiber and help support an anti-inflammatory diet

5 Easy Ingredients for No-Bake Energy Balls 

• Oats: I prefer using rolled oats but you can also use quick oats or old fashioned oats. Several options are also available for gluten free oats if you need to make this recipe gluten free.
• Peanut butter: I recommend using a creamy, no-stir peanut butter. Natural peanut butter that requires stirring tends to be oilier and can affect the texture and consistency.
• Honey or maple syrup: This is one of the binding ingredients and natural sweeteners. I prefer this recipe with honey, but maple syrup also works. You may need an extra tablespoon of two of maple syrup if your balls are too dry.
• Dried nuts and fruit: The base recipe of oats, peanut butter and honey can be used to create just about any type of energy balls. Grab your favorite nut, dried fruit, chocolate chips etc to mix in.
• I opted to add a touch of vanilla and salt. I’d consider these to be optional but simply just enhance the flavor.
• Optional additional add-ins: Swap out ¼ cup of oats for flax seed or chia seeds for a boost of nutrition. You can also add a scoop or two of protein power to your energy balls. Just adjust with additional wet ingredients as needed. 

Recipe Tips 

Working with your hands can be tough, especially if you’re someone who suffers from arthritis. Sometimes we need some food-prep hacks to help us when cooking. However, these are helpful to anyone to preparing this recipe!

• Use a food processor. I like to use the “dough” option when mixing so it mixes it together without chopping things too finely. All of your ingredients can be added to the food processor at once and pulse until well combined.
• Instead of chopping the nuts by hand, use a nut chopper.
• Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to press the mixture into with one hand. This helps form the balls and gives you a uniform size. Once you have them all prepared, then you can gently roll each one between your hands.
• Make energy bars instead. If it’s still too difficult to use the cookie scoop, opt to make these in an 8-inch pan. Press the mixture into a pan lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until the mixture is firm and them cut. Just be sure your mixture is not too dry, as the bars will easily fall apart if it’s dry.

Now it’s time to enjoy these Cranberry Walnut Energy Balls and find your yes or encourage the person you know to find their yes by joining the Live Yes! Arthritis Network.  The community is there to support.

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