Healthy Oatmeal Bites!

As promised, it’s time to celebrate National Heart Month and I have some healthy recipes to share! Today I present to you a quick and easy, healthy snack you can make for yourself and/or loved ones! My oldest son loves these quick little bites, I love them even more because I can get him to eat some healthy things by sneaking them into this recipe!

So here we go! And we’ve got three products that we enjoy in this recipe! We have McCann’s Irish Oatmeal, Breitsamer Honey and Hachez chocolate! Are you ready? It’s super easy to make and you’ll be enjoying a healthy snack in no time!

 

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Oatmeal Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry oatmeal
• 2/3 cup coconut flakes (toasted optional)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed meal
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (or so, I did less) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I used dark chocolate for this recipe)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until mixed throughly.
2. Optional: Chill first in the refrigerator for half an hour, then roll into balls.
3. OR roll into balls immediately after mixing. (Just a matter of preference, I have no issues rolling these before they are chilled.)
4. Store in airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to one week.

These are quick and simple, and provide some healthy oatmeal power! When forming the balls, you can size them any which way, the ones I had rolled were about 1 inch or so in diameter. By the way, the mini Breitsamer Honey jars are just about perfect for the amount needed for this recipe and work PERFECT! Enjoy!!

The best part, as I say with any recipe, you can tweak this recipe to your own tastes and likes! I like adding the spices in to give these oatmeal bites some more pizzaz! Try them out and adjust them to your preference!

 

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Melting Away. Literally…

It’s cold and snowy out. Or maybe it’s cold and rainy out where you live. Or maybe it’s just cold. Or maybe you’re just in a blah mood and need a pick-me-up. You don’t really feel like tea, but you don’t really want coffee. The next best option for a happy medium to enjoy would be hot cocoa.

The next time you want to prepare yourself a nice cup of hot cocoa, reach for the following item: Butlers Chocolates Hot Chocolate Drink.

Without the obvious risk of myself repeating myself, but in a different way…

How are you going to enjoy National Cocoa Day, which happens to be TODAY? I’ll tell you how: Butlers Chocolates Hot Chocolate Drink.

I have to admit. I was skeptical. What was this going to taste like? Does this really work? Does it really taste good? It seems a little too good to be true. Yes, I am that crazy lady who stashes the Butlers Chocolates in her cupboard and hides the stuff from the children, and well… now I have something else to hide! Yes! These little pucks of chocolate joy are AH. MAZE. ZZZZING! A cup of smooth, hot, chocolate silky delight is only a matter of minutes away on your stove top. Simply heat some milk or cream on the stove top and add one (or two) of these chocolate discs? Pucks? Awesomeness? Let it melt thoroughly, pour into a mug and ENJOY! Sit back and just MELT AWAY with this hot cocoa! I truly do not use words such as “divine” – very often. Today I shall. This hot chocolate beverage is DIVINE! After you prepare yourself a cup of this divine mixture, you will then realize why this might be hidden away from the children… would they appreciate this deliciousness? Is that even a word? I guess it is, because by the time you read this – I’ve spell checked myself! 😉

 

If you have just come in from the cold – maybe you were sledding, skiing, snowmobiling, building a snowman, shoveling your driveway… and you’re freezing cold… time to make up some of this hot chocolate drink. You’ll melt away as you sip this and defrost yourself inside!

 

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If you’re looking for some facts and information, and actual sources cited where it is explained that cocoa is nutritious for you, look no further than this link from the Michigan State University Extension. Cocoa is known for having antioxidants and being good for heart health. Cocoa can also help aid with memory and of course… MAKES YOU HAPPY! So check out that link from MSU Extension and get the lowdown on cocoa today!

This morning we’ve got a winter storm warning in our area, hoping that people drive safely today and when I am all set and done with being out and about today, I will come home and enjoy some peace and solitude in the form of hot cocoa!

 

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