Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites

I don’t know about you, but when the days start getting darker and that crisp breeze picks up, my craving for pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spice lattes, and all the pumpkin-y goodness of fall skyrockets.

Lucky for me (and hopefully for you) pumpkin treats don’t always have to be unhealthy. These Pumpkin Pie Energy bites pack all the autumnal flavor I want without the added sugar and calories I don’t. Perfect for the very real struggle of trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle amid all the holiday temptation.

So why are these delicious little pumpkin balls called “energy” bites? Dates! The sweet and sticky fruit that holds all the good stuff in this recipe together is known to be a great source of energy and fiber. In addition, pumpkin’s high concentration of potassium helps replenish that important electrolyte after workouts. Sweetened with pure maple syrup and rolled in coconut flakes, these treats are a clean alternative to candy and cake cravings – and they won’t cause you to crash. Plus, the addition of raw pecans and hazelnut extract take the nutty and earthy flavors up a notch; because healthy doesn’t have to be boring.

But maybe the best thing about these Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites is that they don’t involve any baking. You can get that pumpkin pastry flavor without turning on an oven – just a few spins around a food processor and rolling into balls and you’ve got more than a dozen sweet morsels packed with clean and healthy fall flavor.

This Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites recipe is from Autumn Calabrese’s FIXATE cookbook. That might be helped by the fact that each serving includes not one, but two pieces of pumpkin goodness. And, this sweet treat doesn’t even use up those scarce and precious yellow containers, which is a major score. 21 Day Fix-ers, you know what I’m talking about! These energy bites count as one purple Portion Fix container and half of a blue container.

Watch 21 Day Fix creator Autumn Calabrese and her brother, chef Bobby Calabrese make a similar version of this recipe for Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites on their healthy cooking show, FIXATE!

Container Equivalents
1 Purple
½ Blue

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pitted dates
Warm water
½ cup raw pecan halves (or pecan pieces)
⅓ cup canned pumpkin puree
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes , reserve small amount for garnish
1 tsp . pure hazelnut extract (or pure maple extract)
1 tsp . pure maple syrup
2 tsp . pumpkin pie spice
1 pinch sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place dates in a medium bowl; cover with water. Let soak for 10 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
2. Place pecans in food processor; pulse until finely ground.
3. Add dates, pumpkin, coconut, extract, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; pulse until well mixed. Place in a medium bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.
4. Using clean hands, roll into tablespoon-sized balls; roll in reserved coconut (if desired).
5. Store, refrigerated, in airtight container.

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