LITTLE did you know that I was just warming you up with my Moody Pumpkin Spice & Chocolate Fudge! Tis the season, and I still cannot get enough pumpkin. Not only does it have the most unique, almost umami-like flavor, it is packed with beta-carotein and Vitamin eye for improved eyesight, supple skin and cell protection. Stick around long enough and you may discover a Thanksgiving delight with our favorite orange vegetable as well!

These pumpkin bites were born from a craving for a healthy pre or post-workout snack. Right before or right exercise (love my Barre3 classes so much!), your body wants easily accessible but quality fuel, in the form of real-food carbohydrates.

For the perfect snack, I like to combine fruit or whole grains with a bit of fat and/or a bit of protein. Often I just grab a juicy medjool date and dip it into almond butter, but this doesn’t exactly travel well. My Peanut Butter Protein cookies are fantastic before exercise when I’m truly hungry, but sometimes I just something light for a quick burst of energy.

With leftover pumpkin puree and a bag of naked brazil nuts staring at me forlornly, I decided that a festive Autumn “bite” was in order. I absolutely adore brazil nuts for their creamy texture and as a rare source of the mineral selenium (key for proper metabolism). Here, juicy Medjool dates and raw honey serve as a binders and a natural sugars for quick digestion, with protein from hemp seeds to balance them out. And I almost always add some form of coconut to workout-related snacks, because the fat it contains is used instantly as energy, instead of being stored.

These little nuggets were a whim that went a-right! They are so downright tasty, I’ve had to remind myself that they serve a specific purpose (which is not to be treated like a bowl of movie theater popcorn).

Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pitted medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1 1/4 cup raw brazil nuts
• 6 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup hemp seeds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• pinch sea salt

Procedure:

1. Add dates, honey and brazil nuts to a food processor and pulse until combined. It will be the consistency of wet sand.
2. Add pumpkin puree, hemp seeds, cinnamon, ginger, ¼ cup coconut flakes and sea salt. Process until incorporated. The mixture will be soft and stick.
3. Empty dough into a bowl, cover and place in the freezer for 20 minutes (you can skip this step; it will just be a bit messier to handle.
4. Place remaining coconut flakes in shallow bowl. Use a large spoon to scoop approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture and form into balls. Place on baking sheet. Mine were about 1 ½ inches in diameter. If the mixture is still sticky, keep a bowl of lukewarm water near you and wet your fingers before rolling.
5. Once you have formed balls out of your dough, roll each in the coconut flakes to coat completely. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving. I keep mine in the freezer but you can refrigerate as well, they will just be softer and more prone to squishing.

Even though cinnamon plays a primary role of “I taste great with pumpkin” in this recipe, it is also shown to lower blood sugar levels. Whenever I’m eating a sweet treat, I consider adding cinnamon to help ensure my insulin levels don’t get out of whack. Who knew that America’s favorite spice (besides salt) did such double duty?