Are you ready for it to be fall?  Do you love pumpkin spice lattes, comfy sweaters, and warm spices like cinnamon? Then this is just for you!

THIRA Health is lucky to have a team of Diet Tech’s and Registered Dietitians to monitor the nutrition of our patients and lead educational practices like Food and Mood groups. In Food and Mood groups clients learn how to make nutrient-rich meal and snack choices and how these choices will affect the way they feel throughout their day. This month, we are featuring one of the team’s tasty fall favorites: Pumpkin Energy Bites! These energy bites make a great, nutrient rich snack for the fall. This recipe includes a mixture of carbohydrate and protein, a combination that provides our bodies with balanced energy. The oats, chia and pumpkin contribute fiber which works to promote gut health and regularity. As if we needed another reason to make these bites, chia seeds are also a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which are important for the health of our brains!

Ingredients:

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes or shavings
1/2 c. almond butter or cashew butter, warmed slightly in microwave (7-10 seconds)
1/3 c. pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
1/4 c. golden raisins
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. chia seeds
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 handful of nuts (optional)

Instructions:

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Warm nut butter in microwave, add remaining wet ingredients (pumpkin, maple syrup) to nut butter and stir until well combined. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring between additions. If dough becomes too difficult to mix with a spoon, use gloved or washed hands to finish mixing. Once all ingredients have been mixed, use hands to form 1-1.5 inch balls. Enjoy right away or place in a sealed Ziploc bag in the fridge to save for later!