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Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites

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The refreshing taste of mint paired with decadent chocolate is a match made in flavor heaven. These Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites provide a hefty dose of flavor along with whole grain oats and sunflower seeds, making them the perfect gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan energy snack!

Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 The refreshing taste of mint paired with decadent chocolate is a match made in flavor heaven. These Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites provide a hefty dose of flavor along with whole grain oats and sunflower seeds, making them the perfect healthy gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan energy snack recipe!

The energy bite fad is another food fad I’m sorta okay with now that I’ve tried it for myself. I’m still against the term “no-bake” and think it’s uncreative and just annoying, but that’s besides the point. Let’s talk about why I’m totally for homemade energy and protein bites. I eat some protein or energy bar every day (well, now it’s bites), and I’ve gone through phases of which were my favorites. I came in to a wonderful huge stock of INBars during school last year and they became my favorite. Every flavor was a stand out, no weird scary ingredients, organic, non-gmo,  and 100% allergy-free. I loved every last one of them. However, they are super expensive and you have to buy them online (never seen them in any store). My all time favorite flavor (even though I loved every flavor), was the mint chocolate bar.

Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 The refreshing taste of mint paired with decadent chocolate is a match made in flavor heaven. These Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites provide a hefty dose of flavor along with whole grain oats and sunflower seeds, making them the perfect healthy gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan energy snack recipe!

First of all, chocolate. Second, that wonderful refreshing mint taste. When you breath in through your mouth and feel the coolness after your first bite. To die for! I remember this being the highlight of riding on the shuttle to class at 7am…eating my bar 😉 All the INBars were made with a base of sunflower seed butter and brown rice protein. The sunflower seed keeps them allergy-safe which is awesome. Now the mint chocolate flavor was just such a stand-out that when I ran out of that flavor…I needed more, stat! So this summer I was on a mission to create my own. Thus, the inspiration for these bites was taken for my love of that bar, and I have to say, I’m pretty satisfied with the results 😉

Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 The refreshing taste of mint paired with decadent chocolate is a match made in flavor heaven. These Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites provide a hefty dose of flavor along with whole grain oats and sunflower seeds, making them the perfect healthy gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan energy snack recipe!

With sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butter as my base, I also chose good old oats, tons of chocolate, and tons…tons of mint. Cocoa mint stevia syrup, peppermint extract, dried mint, and peppermint tea! Can you get any mintier? Probably, but I stopped there. These healthy bites are just so full of mint chocolatey goodness you will be making a batch every few days. They are perfect for everyday snacking, school lunches and snacks for the kids, or just a mid-morning pick-me-up. I can tell you that these really are “love at first bite“! Needless to say, as of this summer I never buy bars anymore (except for the occasional one or two). Making my own has been so much fun, tasty, CHEAP, and easy. I keep my stash is a special place which I’ll share below after the recipe 😉

Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites

Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 The refreshing taste of mint paired with decadent chocolate is a match made in flavor heaven. These Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites provide a hefty dose of flavor along with whole grain oats and sunflower seeds, making them the perfect healthy gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan energy snack recipe!

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Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites

The refreshing taste of mint paired with decadent chocolate is a match made in flavor heaven. These Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites provide a hefty dose of flavor along with whole grain oats and sunflower seeds, making them the perfect gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan energy snack!

Scale

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a food processor combine all ingredients, omitting 1 cup of the oats.
  2. Processes until you get a crumbly dough, then add the last cup of oats and process until your dough in well incorporated with these new oats (I do this for more texture).
  3. When the mixture is able to stick together, roll 12 balls, using your hands. About 2 TB each, roughly. This will make 6 servings (2 balls per serving).

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2

Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 The refreshing taste of mint paired with decadent chocolate is a match made in flavor heaven. These Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites provide a hefty dose of flavor along with whole grain oats and sunflower seeds, making them the perfect healthy gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan energy snack recipe!

So now, about my stash. I have this thing, and always have, about eating my bars and bites frozen. I would even freeze KIND bars and break my teeth eating them frozen 😉 So good! INBars become rock solid when frozen, but these bites get just perfect! They’re frozen, but you can still eat them as they don’t totally “freeze”. So I keep these bites in the freezer in multiple plastic baggies and take as needed. They are just too good! You can keep them in the fridge too, which is the “normal” thing I guess, but really, put them in the freezer. Everything is oddly better in the freezer! Haha!

Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 The refreshing taste of mint paired with decadent chocolate is a match made in flavor heaven. These Mint Chocolate Sunflower Bites provide a hefty dose of flavor along with whole grain oats and sunflower seeds, making them the perfect healthy gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan energy snack recipe!

So tell me:

+ Do you or have you ever put your bars or bites in the freezer?

+ Have you ever had an INBar?

*Recipe linking up for the week! Allergy Free Wednesdays, #RecipeOfTheWeek,#StrangeButGood, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Real Food Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays,Tasty Tuesdays, Savoring Saturdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Meatless Mondays, Lena’s Tasty Tuesdays, TFFM Meatless Monday, Waste Not Want Not!*


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Comments

  2. Kim - Liv Life says

    I made my first “bite” a few months back and my kids didn’t really want to be part of it. But… my college boy took one and then proceeded to clear the plate! I think he’d love these too.

    Reply

  9. Brianna @Flippin' Delicious says

    I LOVE these Rebecca! These were the first recipe that I had to feature on Savoring Saturdays this weekend, and then I decided to feature some other healthy snacks. Perfect for back-to-school. And I’ve been struggling to come up with healthy snack to send with my preschooler. These are perfect!
    I can’t wait to see what you share this week!

    Reply

  11. Sarah Ann says

    These look delicious! I can’t wait to make these for my daughter who is GFCF. She will love them! Thanks for linking with the Sat. Soiree. You’re featured this week!

    Reply

  20. Erlene says

    These looks delicious and I think this would be a great snack for the kids to take to school. Haven’t tried stevia syrups before and will have to give this a try.

    Reply

  21. kimmythevegan says

    Ooooh sunflower butter AND sunflower seeds – extra taste & added texture – sounds awesome =) I totally fell on the energy bite bandwagon, I freakin’ love them and make them all of the time. I’ll try these next!

    Reply

  30. Tina Muir says

    Mint chocolate is always a win in my eyes! I am into the bites fad now too, but yeah I resisted for a while. If only protein stuff would stay together in a bar…..but for some reason they always work better as a bite!

    Reply

  32. Betsy @ Happily Ever After, Etc. says

    I haven’t had a bar since I was younger… my mom use to put one in my lunch everyday for years and it was just too much of a good thing! Once I grew up and was in charge of my own food I needed a break! Haha! Maybe it’s time to get back on the horse!

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      I’m not sure what kinda bars you’re talking about, but these bites beat everything you could buy at a store in a box!

      Reply

  34. AnnMarie says

    I went through a phase of making all different bites and then stopped. They are so good! You have reignited my passion for them and chocolate and mint are two of my favorite flavors. Trying these!

    Reply

  36. Jessica says

    I absolutely must make some of these soon, they look amazing and it is so rare that I find a great oat bite snack which doesn’t have peanut butter! Thanks for sharing, I will definitely be linking back to you once I have had the chance to try them! And beautiful photography as well by the way 🙂

    Reply

  37. Dawn says

    These look delicious. I need to find some treats for my active runner who needs good food to fill him up and keep him running.

    I would totally freeze these.

    My friend make something similar with almonds/coconut and honey. Yum!!

    :)Dawn

    Reply

  43. Lucie says

    I must admit, I’ve never been that much into the whole chocolate-mint combination. But these look so adorable that they might just convert me 🙂 and if not, I’m going to sub vanilla for the peppermint extract and go from there 😀

    Reply

  47. Audrey @ Unconventional Baker says

    Mmmm.. these minty bites sound lovely with all that sunflower seed action in there. I’ve been all over making bliss balls lately myself 🙂 — best quick little treat ever! I normally keep mine refrigerated, but never frozen. And I’ve never seen an INBar…

    Reply

  50. Jenny Eaves says

    Mint chocolate, my favourite! I love anything mint chocolate and these sound delicious. Not sure where I would get Stevia from in Scotland, should probably check out health food shops I guess? 🙂 x

    Reply

  54. Melissa @ vegan does it says

    Mint and chocolate is high up on my list of favorite flavor combos. These look damn tasty! I have a similar recipe for squares, but this one definitely has a bigger peppermint kick. And I totally agree some things do taste better from the freezer 🙂

    Reply

  56. Mary says

    I’ve never had a INbar but I’m going to look them up right now. The mint in this recipe sounds refreshing can’t wait to try them.

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      For sure!
      You gotta try them if you ever get your hands on them! They are one in a million 😉

      Reply

  76. Sara says

    These look sooo good, would you believe that I have never had sunflower butter before? I love the mint chocolate combo, it’s a classic for a reason, because it’s amazing 🙂

    Reply

  79. The vegan 8 says

    Love chocolate and mint and sunflower seeds together! These look delicious! I make some sunflower oat balls like this, but they are cinnamon chocolate chip. Definitely need to try the chocolate mint combo, yum!

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      OMG!!! Get some!!! It will change your nut-butter loving life (to now include seed butters!)

      Reply

  83. Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says

    It’s the first ball/bite recipe on your site!!! Woohoo! And it’s so full of mint goodness I don’t know what to do! And chocolate…can’t forget the chocolate…mint wouldn’t be anybody without the chocolate 🙂 I love mint chocolate things, but I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had that flavor in an energy bar :/ I want these! I need these! <3 Oh and we're going to be recipe twinkies today…kinda 😉

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      My favorite chocolate candies growing up were Junior mints, Andes mints, and York peppermint patties…something about that mint and chocolate was just to die for! (And yes, I ate all those frozen! Junior mints frozen are the best…or were…)
      I’m excited for this!!!! Your recipes always make me happy and I’m assuming these will have chocolate so…..double happy!!!

      Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      You can always just make some 😉 But I 100% recommend MaraNatha! The one and only best!

      Reply

  87. Laura says

    No matter how many different flavours I try, I can never have enough bites in my life. Kind of like nut butter. And brownies recipes haha. Thanks for the inspiration again Rebecca:)

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Hahahaha, I feel you on that one 😉 Especially the nut butters…which is perfect since nut butters make the best bites anyway!

      Reply

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Meet Rebecca

Hey there, welcome to Strength and Sunshine! I’m Rebecca and I’m so glad you’re here! This is your go-to destination for delicious, fun, and (mostly) healthy gluten-free and allergy-free recipes, tips & tricks, advice, as well as celiac and food allergy coaching services!

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