Salted Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites

Late Sunday morning.
Skipped long runs.
80 degrees.
Ada's napping.
Stephen's mowing the lawn.

And, yes, that's a manual mower. Tough work. Anyway, Stephen joked that I should bring him a snack like Ree always does for her husband -- we've been watching back episodes of the Pioneer Woman cooking show (would you believe I've never read her blog?).

Snack, he says? Sure. So, I did just that.

But not before taking some time for myself. Showering, getting dressed up, and painting my nails to match one of my mother's day gifts: A new pair of saltwaters (in orange).


Glorious.

You can imagine the thought behind this recipe was much more in my favor than in Stephen's. But knowing he doesn't like to "waste calories" on desserts, I made these cookie dough bites sans sugar and oil. Then popped 'em in the freezer to ward off the hot sun.


SALTED PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH BITES

What you'll need . . .

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons ground flax meal
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (homemade, sans the sugar -- it's easy! here's how)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, unsalted
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Kosher salt for sprinkling

Method . . .

#1: Cream together the peanut butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Then add in the flax meal and stir around again.
#2: Whisk together the flour, oats, and salt. Then add to the wet mixture.
#3: Fold in chopped peanuts. Then roll teaspoon to tablespoon-sized balls and sprinkle with salt.
#4: Refrigerate for up to three days. Or freeze for three months. Don't try baking.

As far as cookie dough goes, not too shabby. Tastes great, but is also relatively healthy. No butter, oil, eggs, or sugar. And I imagine you can replace the wheat flour with your favorite gluten-free variety, too.

What's your favorite easy-to-make afternoon snack?

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