Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Energy Bites

I'm always on the look out for healthier snack options for my family.  Yes, the Oreo's still find their way into my pantry, who am I kidding?  But I'm trying my best (one step at a time) to feed my family healthier.  Now there are a lot of different "No-Bake Energy Bite" recipes out there and I've tried a handful of them, but my favorite so far is this one.  It has to be the combination of the cocoa powder and peanut butter that seal the deal for me.  I like the ones with chocolate chips, but I never have mini chocolate chips on hand and the regular sized chocolate chips are just too big in my opinion.  In this recipe, the smoothness of the cocoa powder and peanut butter make me happy and at the same time I love the added texture of the oatmeal and seeds.  It makes my mama heart a little happier when I see my kids reach in the fridge and grab one of these as an after-school and/or bed-time treat.  In my head I'm silently saying, "YES!"  

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Energy Bites
Yield: Makes about 20-25 balls

Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup oatmeal, raw
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup coconut flakes, toasted and cooled (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon chia seeds, optional

Directions
In a mixing bowl. stir together peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined and evenly coated.  Cover mixture and chill in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, to make the mix easier to handle and mold.

Once chilled, roll into 1-inch balls (or whatever size you would like).  Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Recipe Source: Marsha Peterson, a friend of mine from church.