Energy Balls Revisited

In an effort to rediscover the joy of making one's own food, I've revisited old recipes and after a trip to Hobby Lobby, printed and compiled them in a portfolio notebook. Success has been made in regards to natural popcorn after a fiasco with spilled kernels, a giant pan and burnt results. I've been making a lot of and experimenting with the recipe for an "energy mix," as it is a quick and convenient way for Brook to get some food in his belly on the way to work or during his breaks. I've added dried goji berries to the latest batch (Mom brought them to me last time, they are very cheap at Chinese supermarkets). See original recipe I made up from memory below. There aren't any measurements, because I prefer to eyeball it. There isn't really any easy way to mess up this recipe, so it's best to vary it according to what you would eat. The first time I made these was sophomore year, in the Duval house, and while they were a hit, I lost the paper recipe during a move. I think I will try to add some molasses in the next batch so that maybe I can roll them into bite-sized balls. (And tone down the PB, as Brook mentioned that he is getting tired of the taste.) In addition to being an outlet, I am very pleased that I can create something so healthy and tasty for not too much $ and time. I am convinced that the best recipes fall in this category!

No-Bake Energy Balls

Dry:
Steel Cut Oats - this will make up most of the dry ingredients
Seeds: Pumpkin, Sunflower, Flax
Wheat Germ
Nuts
Dried fruit: Cranberries, Cherries, Goji Berries, Raisins, Cherries

Wet:
Peanut Butter
Honey
Molasses

Taste:
Salt
Cinnamon
Vanilla

For easier chewability (think of all the whole grains and seeds in it!), put the oats in a food processor for a bit until they are chopped. Once you reach a desired consistency, roll them into balls and refrigerate to set. Or, press them into a 9x9 baking pan and cut into bars.

I stumbled upon this Larabar recipe, and it looks good and much more economical. Just need a food processor now. Larabars impressed me from the start, as they only have 4-5 ingredients, all natural and either fruit or nut. Plus, they taste great. (They also seem to be quite popular in the Raw Food Movement Community.)

Eating out and buying fancy health food is exciting at times, but not really sustainable at my current economic level. I say this just as Brook and I have made reservations to 3 fancy restaurants during Austin Restaurant Week, each meal costing $25/$35 per person...