Making your own protein bars from home may seem daunting, but Integrative Health Coach and Vegan Chef Annette Licitra of Passionette Palate has a quick and easy recipe you can whip up in a flash. With simple ingredients like a banana, oats, a milk alternative, and some plant-based protein powder, you will be enjoying these vegan protein bites in no time! Annette’s energy bite features Vega‘s Protein + Greens vanilla-flavored, vegan protein powder.
Joey Thurman: Let's make some Energy Bites, right?
Annette Licitra: Yes. That was really energetic too.
Joey Thurman: I know, energetic Energy Bites. And what is our base that we're using here?
Annette Licitra: So today we're going to use the vanilla protein powder from Vega. And so that's going to be part of it, but we're going to be doing an Almond Joy Energy Bite today.
Joey Thurman: Okay, I'm really joyful and I'm happy for this. Did you see what I did with that?
Annette Licitra: Okay good. You better like coconut too. All right, we're going to start. Speaking of, we're going to start with the coconut. So we're just going to put unsweetened coconut flakes right into the food processor.
Joey Thurman: Love coconut.
Annette Licitra: Yes, me too. And then, because they're sweet enough, you don't have to get them sweetened. So we're going to be adding in some oats. And these are gluten-free old fashioned oats. Very simple.
Joey Thurman: Okay.
Annette Licitra: Then I'm just going to be adding in some maple syrup. So you can use honey if you really want to. But this is beautiful, beautiful flavor.
Joey Thurman: Your preference is maple syrup?
Annette Licitra: I like both to be honest, but I think for this particular one, for the Almond Joy, it's really good.
Joey Thurman: Okay. Well, we got the protein and greens and this will remind me of pancakes, but much better for me.
Annette Licitra: Yes. So we're going to add that protein powder right in there. Super versatile. That's why I really liked the vanilla bean because it's so versatile. You can use it in smoothies, in any sort of Energy Bites.
Joey Thurman: And it doesn't overpower anything.
Annette Licitra: No, not at all. And then I'm just going to be putting in some almond butter. So we're going to add that directly in here.
Joey Thurman: Nice. Look at that creamy deliciousness. Spatula working okay?
Annette Licitra: Yep.
Joey Thurman: Beautiful.
Annette Licitra: So we've got that. And then I'm just going to have a little bit of water just to kind of blend it together just to make sure it all blends because the oats can really make it a little sticky. So that's it. And then it's going to look like a dough, kind of a dough. And then we'll take it out of here and pop it right here and then just roll it into bites. Okay. So let's put that in there.
Joey Thurman: All right.
Annette Licitra: Just kind of watch the dough. Looking good.
Joey Thurman: So you're just looking for a consistency here.
Annette Licitra: Yes, pretty much it. So again, talk about fast food. I really like the fast food aspect of it.
Joey Thurman: Fast and good food.
Annette Licitra: Yes. So it's really nice too as you can put this into the refrigerator for a little while. Into the bowl and then a refrigerator, just in case you would like to get it a little bit colder to make it easier. Oops. There we go. We're going to hit the blade in there. We got to take that out of there. Okay. And that's it. So all we're going to do is just do Energy Bites. So just take a little bit. Oh, that's perfect to work with, look at that.
Joey Thurman: So I'm just going to grab a and we're going to roll.
Annette Licitra: The protein powder keeps it really nice and firm, so that's it.
Joey Thurman: I'm going to make mine big.
Annette Licitra: Yep. Just kind of keep it together so you can make it a little bit bigger. And yeah. Kind of sticks together.
Joey Thurman: Check out my Energy Bite.
Annette Licitra: So that's pretty much, that's how you make them.
Joey Thurman: And that's it?
Annette Licitra: Really nice and versatile. Yes.
Joey Thurman: Okay.
Annette Licitra: Yeah.
Joey Thurman: Can I try it?
Annette Licitra: Yes, you can. Absolutely.
Joey Thurman: Hmm.
Annette Licitra: Really good?
Joey Thurman: No, it's good. I like the maple syrup. You get it? There we go.
Annette Licitra: The vanilla is really good, that vanilla bean powder.
Joey Thurman: I got the energy. This is the Bite. Put some Vega in it. Feel good. All good in the hood.
Annette Licitra: All good.
Joey Thurman: I'm going to be here eating, so you guys see you later.
Annette Licitra: Yep, see you.
Joey Thurman: Later.