THE SMITTY BITE
I encountered my first Aussie Bite years ago shopping in Costco. Its name originates from food that can be foraged like nuts, seeds, fruits, and berries. They are quite tasty but needed an overhaul of some of the recipe ingredients. The cleaned-up recipe contains no added sugar and is rich in omega 3’s, fiber, and protein. I replaced the oats with buckwheat cereal as this superfood has a lower glycemic index than oats. It is better digested, provides more fiber, and is rich in potassium, zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins. The final product can be a snack, topping for yogurt, or complimentary to a breakfast bowl of fruit.
Ingredients
Yield: about 24-30 mini muffins
- 2 cups buckwheat cereal
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- ¼ Cup of dried apricots
- ¼ Cup of dried cherries*
- ¼ Cup of dried goji berries*
- ½ Cup of pitted dates use soft Medjool dates or soak other dates for 5 minutes prior to the food processor
- ¼ Cup of raisins
- ¼ Cup of raw honey
- ¼ Cup of pistachio nuts*
- 3 Tablespoons of ground flaxseeds
- ¼ Cup of unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 Tablespoon of vanilla
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ Cup of water
- 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
Instructions
- *sub any type of dried fruit like cranberries, dried blueberries, or prunes.
- *sub with sunflower, pumpkin seeds or even something like walnuts
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You will need a mini muffin pan. I use the oven-friendly Silpat mini muffin pan so I do not need to grease this type of pan. You would have to grease a typical muffin pan or use mini liners prior to filling. In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients except the coconut oil and pulse for 30 seconds until the mixture comes together. Add the coconut oil (do not melt) into the dough and pulse again for 5-10 seconds. Remove from the processor and transfer to a bowl. Divide the dough with your hands, form into individual balls, fill and push down gently into the prepped muffin tins up to the top. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled, remove and store in an airtight container. These can also be frozen.