No-Bake Trail Mix Bites

We've all been there - you have a bunch of ripe bananas sitting on the counter, looking sadder every day. If you're like me, you hate food waste and want to make the most of what you paid for at the grocery store.

While I'm all about a good banana bread, sometimes you just want something a little different, right?

Before we dive into these tasty little bites, I also encourage you to check out some other great recipes on my site to put those ripe bananas to good use:

• Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
• Golden Milk Banana Bread Muffins
• Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

One of the things I love most about these No-Bake Trail Mix Bites, though, is that they require no baking at all. You can whip these babies up in no time, and the freezer will do all the work for you!

The ripe banana adds all of the natural sweetness you'll need, while oats provide bulk and heartiness. I personally recommend looking for sprouted oats when possible, as they actually are higher in omega-3 fatty acids and protein than regular oats.

Creamy peanut butter is the other staple ingredient in these bites as it keeps everything together and acts as a binder. You can use salted or unsalted, just omit additional salt if needed.

Now for the fun part - the mix-ins! I chose dried cranberries (my favorite thing ever), chia seeds for fiber, pumpkin seeds, and chocolate chips, as they're trial mix staples. You can really use whatever's hanging out in your pantry, though, so get creative!

Mix it all up and scoop into little bites, and that's it! Place in the freezer to allow these to set up and keep here for storage.

I hope y'all enjoy these super simple, easy bites as a snack, dessert, on-the-go breakfast this week!

Yields 12 - 16 bites

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup rolled oats (gluten free if desired)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (I look for unsweetened if possible)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt (omit of peanut butter is salted) 

Directions

1.  Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl. Stir together to combine completely.
2. Use a cookie scooper or tablespoon to scoop into balls, and use hands to flatten slightly.
3. Store in an air-tight container in the freezer to set up. Store in the freezer or fridge. Enjoy!