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These Salted Cashew Energy Bites with Cranberries are an irresistible combination of sweet and salty! They’re filled with oats and have a touch of maple.
Last Thursday I picked Julia up from school, not knowing that an hour later would be one of the scariest moments of my life. Earlier in the day, I had made these cashew energy bites and was hoping that the kids would like them so they could go in their lunchboxes. Thank goodness I didn’t put one of these in Julia’s lunch without first having her try it at home.
She took two small bites and almost immediately started trying to spit it out. The next thing I knew, she was having a pretty major allergic reaction. I gave her Benadryl right away, but when her symptoms worsened I called 911. The paramedics came, and at that point we decided she was out of the woods and we’d just monitor her at home. Looking back, we probably should have taken her to the ER due to the risk of a second reaction. I’m just so glad that she is ok now.
Before last Thursday, I never knew that Julia had any food allergies. Apparently she’s allergic to cashews and most likely pistachios as well. I’ve done some reading and people are often allergic to both because the two nuts are closely related. Years ago, she may have had a minor reaction to pistachios which we didn’t recognize as such at the time.
She’s never liked nuts or wanted to eat them, except for almond butter, and now I’m wondering if it’s even safe to give that to her. Maybe her dislike was her intuitive sense that she’s allergic?
I hope my little girl never has to go through a reaction like that again. Just in case, we now have an epipen prescribed for her. Hopefully we’ll never have to use it, but I’m glad we have it.
Food allergies are so scary, and make everyday activities like birthday parties and school events more complicated. We have an appointment with the allergy clinic, so I guess we’ll know more about exactly what nuts she’s allergic to and the severity soon.
So while these Salted Cashew Energy Bites are delicious, I won’t be making them again anytime soon. They’re a reminder of one of the scariest times I’ve had with one of my kids.
Assuming you have no cashew allergy, I think you’d love these. They’re really easy to make in your food processor (I’ve included a step by step video below).
While you’re at it, give my Apple Cinnamon Cookie Energy Bites a try as well. They’re packed with fresh apple, almond butter, and cinnamon.
Sea salt, plus a bit of maple syrup and vanilla bring out the flavors in these cashew cranberry energy bites. They’re a convenient make ahead snack that’s both vegan and gluten free. You’ll find it hard to stop at just one!
Why You’ll Love These Cashew Energy Bites:
- Cashews (and other nuts) have many health benefits, including providing vitamins and minerals and controlling blood sugar. Cashews are rich in copper, protein, and fiber.
- The sweet-salty flavor of these cashew energy bites is irresistible. It’s like eating a healthy no-bake cashew cookie!
- These energy bites are an easy snack that you can make ahead for busy days.
We make these other favorite snacks all the time! I think you’ll love them, too!
Apple Cinnamon Cookie Energy Bites
Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Chocolate Protein Shake
5 from 3 ratings
Salted Cashew Energy Bites with Cranberries
Servings: 9 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 15 minutes mins
These Salted Cashew Energy Bites with Cranberries are an irresistible combination of sweet and salty! They're filled with oats and have a touch of maple!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, divided
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats, divided (use certified gluten free if needed)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
Place 3/4 cup of the cashews in a food processor and process until nut butter forms, about 7 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl, and add the maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt. Process until incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the food processor bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Add 1 cup of the oats, the remaining ¼ cup cashews, and the dried cranberries. Pulse in 12 short pulses to chop and combine.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and use your hands or a spoon to mix in the remaining ¼ cup oats.
With slightly wet hands, shape 1 tablespoon portions of dough into balls. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Serving: 2bites, Calories: 162kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 132mg, Potassium: 150mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: No Bake, Snack
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