Oatmeal Bites

This is a quick snack idea I came up with that is super easy to whip up. The idea likely came from no bake oat cookies and energy bites that are popular snack or healthy dessert ideas today. This recipe takes a shortcut though. This idea came to be one day when I made a batch of one of my overnight oatmeal recipes (type that into the search bar of this blog for the recipes). I happened to make a big batch the night before, which was too much for me to eat. I couldn't save the oatmeal for the next day, since this was right before I was going for my tooth surgery, and I knew I wouldn't not be able to eat the oatmeal after that (not that oatmeal is hard, but I had added many nuts to it for some crunch). So I put the oatmeal back in the refrigerator for a little while. Once it was cooled and firm, I rolled the oatmeal into small balls and stuck them in the freezer to keep longer, so I would be able to eat them once I could chew again. 

This concept should work for a variety of oatmeal recipes, especially overnight oats. So if you have some leftover oatmeal on hand or if you want to make a super quick small batch of cookies without baking, whip up some oatmeal first and then make these. It is best to use oatmeal that is firmer rather than thinned with milk, and it is easier to roll into balls when cold. The balls can then be stored in the refrigerator, or the freezer for longer storage. So many flavor ideas are possible with this recipe idea - use any type of oatmeal, even instant oatmeal if you wish. The bites could be chocolate, fruit, nut, maple, spice flavored and more! For an extra special treat, dip the cooled balls in melted chocolate and for an even further touch, roll them in crushed nuts or coconut afterwards. Decadent, healthy and delicious! 

For this recipe above, I used a batch of Very Nutty Overnight Oatmeal. You can find that recipe {here}.