Granola Coconut Bites

This recipe is a delicious variation of the No Bake Granola Bar recipe. Quick easy and a tad bit elegant.

ingredients

dry:

1 1/2 cup oats 

1/2 cup rice puffs

1/2 cup shredded coconut + (1/2 cup finely shredded coconut for coating)

1/2 cup raisins (date chunks, cranberries, craisins, dried cherries, mangoes, apricots, etc.) 

1/2 cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life Brand is dairy and soy-free) 

1/4 cup chopped nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, filberts or cashews)

1/4 cup ground Flax

optional: 

2 T flax, pepitas or sunflower 

Seeds 2 T chia seeds  

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

wet: 1 ripe banana (mashed)  

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey 

1/2 cup nut or seed butter (almond, peanut, cashew, sunflower seed butter, etc.)  

1 tsp vanilla extract (use alcohol-free since you will not be baking)

directions:

1.  Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. 
2.  In a smaller bowl, mash ripe banana, and add all wet ingredients.3.  Pour wet ingredients into dry, and mix well.4.  This is messy! Use plastic gloves if you want to or just lick your fingers when you are done...like I did. Roll the mixture into bite size balls. Place balls onto a cookie sheet. Freeze for about 1 hour. 
5.  Then roll balls in a bowl of the finely shredded coconut to coat each bite sized ball.
6.  Put the coated balls back into the freezer till  you are ready to serve. Store leftovers in the freezer or refrigerator.

Variation: add 1 T unsweetened cocoa powder to the coating coconut.