Oh, The Things You Can Make With A Food Processor...

Two years ago when I graduated from my master's program, my younger brother and sister gave me a food processor as a graduation gift. For some of you this may seem...odd, but I enjoy playing around in the kitchen, so it was an awesome gift...or so I thought. I guess, I was put off by all the different pieces, reading directions, all little things I felt I had to do to get started using it, plus I felt like I could use my blender for most things...so in the corner the food processor sat. For TWO YEARS.

More recently, I created my own Facebook page, where I have research, motivational posters and recipes I create to share with the public, so they can see how eating healthy can be easy, tasty and fun. I also have this blog here, so I figure once in awhile, it is probably a good idea to show new food ideas I come up with here as well.

I was inspired by a newsletter a friend sent me with a cool snack recipe at the bottom. This recipe had only a few ingredients, but did require the usage of a food processor. So I figure, no better time than now to break that bad boy out and use it.

Behold, PISTACHIO POWER BITES. These things taste awesome, are packed with super healthy ingredients and will satisfy a sweet tooth as well as give you a little burst of energy before a workout or in between meal times.

They kind of look like falafel balls, but obviously, looking at the ingredients below, you can see they are nothing of the sort. 

Here is the recipe as follows;

PISTACHIO POWER BITES!

½ cup dried figs, stems removed


¼ cup + 1 tablespoon all natural peanut butter


1 tablespoon honey


¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut


2 tablespoons chia seeds


½ cup shelled pistachios, roasted and salted


½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

 In bowl of food processor, mix figs, peanut butter, honey, coconut, and chia seeds until pureed. Add pistachios and oats and process just until combined. With a cookie scoop, or spoon, roll mixture into 12 uniform balls. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

This recipe can obviously be modified...for a gluten free version, you can take out the oats and add more figs. I am sure you can also use almond butter instead of peanut butter. These are awesome, packed with protein, full of Vitamin B6, which is good for your brain and immune function and full of good fats and fiber. Eat up!!