Energy bites where half of the ingredients are from RDC

Many of the recipes I have written about, I love very dearly and have no regrets about sharing them with you all. However, as a first-year student living in the dorms, I have been unable to make many of my own recipes and sympathize with others who can’t either. 

Recently, though, I have been experimenting with making easy snacks I can make in my room that will allow me to avoid going to the dining centers every now and then. No offense to NDSU Dining, but it gets a little bit repetitive. Plus, I just really love to create food!

All that said, I would like to share with you one of the creations I have been messing around and stocking my fridge with recently. The ingredients are essentially what you want them to be, and half of them, you can snag in a takeout box from RDC, and maybe even UDC.

I’m only discriminating against WDC because they don’t have real peanut butter, and that saddens me deeply. However, I completely understand the concerns of nut allergies, and their Wowbutter would be a completely viable option for those of you who can’t have the peanut butter that makes up about 50% of this recipe. 

Now, without further ado, my favorite snack: PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BITES!

Disclaimer: I will not use measurement amounts as I think the amounts are fluid and determined by the types and quantities of add-ins. When making energy bites, consistency is what you are looking for. You want to bites to be able to hold a ball shape, but not be too sticky to the touch.

M&M Bite ingredients

• Peanut butter
  • You can fill one of those soup bowls with PB from RDC!
• Oats or Oat Bran
  • This is a self-obtained ingredient. I personally use Bob’s Red Mill Oat Bran because it is fairly inexpensive and Oat Bran makes the texture of the energy bites more consistent throughout rather than having large chunks of oats.
• Flax Seed (Optional)
  • This is completely optional and not provided by RDC, but flax is a great source of fiber and antioxidants and does not affect the flavor of the bites.
• Mini M&Ms
  • This is the key ingredient to the fun, and it is also a free ingredient that you paid $2,000 a semester for from RDC! 
  • You could also sub this with their mini choc chips!
• Syrup
  • You won’t be needing a ton of syrup, but this is also an ingredient that you can get to-go from the dining center. I personally snagged my syrup as a single serve Aunt Jemima cup while eating at a local diner. 
• Cinnamon (optional)
  • This is optional and also lives in the dining center if you know where to find it…it’s at the DIY station with the other spices.
• Shredded Unsweetened Coconut (optional)
  • This is another optional ingredient that you will unfortunately have to obtain yourself. I’m a dietetics major who loves to cook, so I just have these kinds of ingredients lying around, and I think coconut makes everything better.

PB&J Bite ingredients

• Thefted Peanut Butter
  • *I use the word ‘thefted’ but all ingredients are acquired legally and are paid for through the use of a dining plan and take-out boxes, bowls, and cups. Do not steal from the dining center!
• Oats or Oat Bran
• Jelly of Choice
  • Some people are picky about their jellies, but if you are a classic grape or strawberry kind of person, this is another ingredient that you can locate in RDC!
• Thefted Syrup
  • You may not need this ingredient at all depending on how much jelly you use. The key is paying attention to the consistency of the bites.
• Flax Seed (Optional)

Cookie Dough Bite ingredients

This variation may require a bit of timing and hoping until the cookie dough returns.

• RDC’s Edible Cookie Dough
• Oats or Oat Bran
• Thefted Peanut Butter
• Flax Seed (Optional)
• Thefted Cinnamon (Optional)
• Shredded Unsweetened Coconut (Optional)

Instructions for all the Bites

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
2. Form into balls of desired size.
3. Enjoy!

Do not think too hard about the quantity of each ingredient. Just know that sticky ingredients and dry ingredients need to be pretty similar in concentration. The main goal is that the energy bites don’t fall apart. 

This recipe is one of my favorites because of the ease, simplicity, and the creative freedom. Please go out and create more flavors. I’ve used crushed up pop tarts as an inclusion before! The kitchen is your oyster, and I guarantee you that these energy bites taste better than pearls.

Happy creating!

“I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.” – Madam Benoit