With a New Year comes new intentions to make the most of the 365 days ahead. We’ve got a recipe that’s one part healthy snack and one part breakfast for busy mornings. The ingredient list is short and full of things you probably already have in your pantry. Maybe the best part is that these balls can be ready in minutes.
Plump, juicy Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid Figs
Combine figs, oats, coconut, and peanut butter in food processor
Grab and go yummy Fig Oat Energy Bites
Fig Oat Energy Bites
These Fig Oat Energy Bites are the perfect healthy snack! Made with only a few ingredients like our juicy Mission Figs, whole grain oats, and peanut butter, they’re tasty + easy to make. These bites are great for pre-workout, a healthy afternoon treat, or just anytime you’re craving a little something sweet!
Makes 15 Bites Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
- 1 cup Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Dried Figs, stemmed
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup coconut shreds
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- In a food processor, pulse oats until finely processed and a flour like consistency.
- Add California Figs, peanut butter, coconut shreds, and cinnamon. Pulse until batter begins to come together pulling from the sides of the food processor.
- Roll dough into 1 tablespoon size bites. Lay bites on a parchment paper lined sheet and cool in the fridge for one hour so the bites can firm up.
- After bites have firmed up, transfer to an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store for up to one week in the refrigerator. Substitutions:
- You can sub peanut butter for sunflower seed or almond butter
- You can sub old fashioned oatmeal with quick cook oatmeal. You can’t use steel cut oatmeal
Recipe and photos by Elizabeth Falcigno
Start the New Year SMART
#MealPrepMonday Recipes and Tips from Valley Fig Growers and Bob’s Red Mill
This New Year we’ve teamed up with our friends at Bob’s Red Mill to focus on developing SMART goals instead of resolutions that may or may not happen. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely grounding your goals like developing a good habit of meal prepping. Meal prep is a great way to get ready for the week: by spending a few hours on Sunday cooking big batches of key ingredients or make-ahead dishes, you can set yourself up for mealtime success throughout the week. So, every Monday in January, we will be sharing meal prep tips and recipes created by food bloggers featuring our Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice and Sun-Maid Mission California Figs, paired up with either farro or whole wheat flour from Bob’s Red Mill. And, head over to our @valleyfig feed on Instagram to enter our giveaway with Bob’s to win the #MealPrepMonday featured ingredients.
Nutrition Notes and Tid-Bits for the New Year
Come January many people jump on the exercise bandwagon. That’s great! Start slow and build up to a long-term relationship with healthy eating and exercise. Eating a well-balanced diet will provide the energy you need to get the most benefit out of your workout. For workouts less than an hour, drinking water is enough, you don’t need to eat anything. The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition is a great resource for more information.
Hydration
Water and fluids are important to keep your body hydrated. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids with meals. Hydrate before working out. Drink about 2 cups of water 2 hours before a workout. Drink about 4 to 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise. Drink even when don’t feel thirsty.
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate fuels your muscles. Athletes should strive to have a little more than half the calories in their diet come from carbohydrate. Your body converts carbohydrate to glycogen, which is stored in your muscles and used during exercise. If you’re exercising for more than an hour, eat some carbohydrate before exercising. As with any healthy diet, limit the amount of fat you eat.
Protein
Protein is used for muscle growth and to repair body tissues. Most Americans eat almost twice as much protein as they need for muscle development. People who work out vigorously, really don’t need a lot of extra protein. Simply eating more calories from a well-balanced diet should meet the need. Eating more protein will not make you stronger. The primary way to build muscles is to exercise them. Most people do not need supplements.
What to Eat After You Exercise
Replacing fluid lost during a workout is the first priority. Plain water and fruits, that contain a lot of water, are good choices. The first hour after you exercise is the best time to refuel and replenish your body. Chocolate milk has a very favorable carbohydrate and protein content, is easy to consume, and therefore is a good option. There are many other good options, as well. The easiest is a well-balanced meal containing a variety of whole foods (such as Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs) and plenty of fluid after your work out.