Easy Healthy Snack Bites for Kids // Protein + Fibre + Collagen

This quick recipe is a snack winner! 

It's the perfect alternative to sugary granola bars in our house!

If your kids are like mine, they're ALWAYS hungry. I hate filling them with granola bars and crackers so I came up with this recipe, inspired by Oh She Glow's thumbprint cookies.

I whip this recipe for my kids' lunches every Sunday so we have a fresh batch for the week ahead.

It takes me less than 2 minutes to prepare and I like that it gives them a protein and fiber rich snack solution that isn't filled with corn syrup and sugar.

To make it more nutrient-dense, I hide protein and fibers so that it sustains them longer. They are more satiated and don't keep asking for more snacks after = mom win!

Bonus: you can rest assured that this snack won't be an inflammation bomb for your kiddos! It's gluten-free, dairy-free, added sugar-free and egg-free.

I played around with different collagen and protein powders and the ones shown below have been the winners: they have gone completely unnoticed in the recipe every single time...which with kids, is the goal, isn't it? 

I like TruMarine Collagen powder because it's made sustainably with premium fish scales giving a superior source of collagen shown to be better absorbed by the body. Collagen is known to be important for healthy hair, skin and nails but I like my kids to get a small dose for their gut health.

This Organic Unsweetened Hemp Protein from Manitoba Harvest is an amazing time-saving hack. It ticks all the boxes with 13g of plant protein AND fiber with a single ingredient: hemp! I prefer the unsweetened and unflavored version because it's easier to add to anything: smoothie, recipes, etc.

I always enlist my kids in making this with me. They love smashing the bananas and making the balls!

RECIPE

Ingredients (makes about 10)

• 2 cups gluten-free organic quick oats
• 2 tbsp organic chia seeds
• 2 large bananas
• 1/2 cup organic hemp milk 
• 1 tbsp hemp protein
• 1 tbsp collagen protein
• 1 tbsp psyllium husk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt
• 70% Dark chocolate chips (optional)
• Nuts (optional for non-school day - I like to add them for more nutrition) 

NOTE: You can easily double the recipe to make a bigger bath and freeze them. I often do it and the taste/texture stays perfect!

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven at 350F.
2. Smash the bananas and put in a large bowl.
3. Add all the dry ingredients.
4. Add the hemp milk and mix well. You want a good consistency to be able to make balls that stick together, not too dry.
5. On a baking sheet, make the balls and space them out (should make 10-12)
6. Bake for 15min and let 

Voilà! It's that simple. Swap the granola bar in their lunch bag for one of these and they won't even notice it's missing.

Enjoy!

PS. These are very popular and go fast...I always find my husband eating some at night!