Chocolate Tasty Balls

I made the original version of these and fell in love. I'm not the least bit offended my husband currently won't touch them because of the cinnamon (although he loved them originally). When I saw a chocolate version from How Sweet It Is, I knew I had to make them. I finally scrounged up chocolate-covered sunflower seeds to make these bad boys. I left out the cinnamon from the original recipe because I'm a nice wife.

These are fantastic. I might have eaten at least 1/4 of a batch already since I made them last night. Good thing I made a double batch.

Chocolate Tasty Balls

1 cup  rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup sliced almonds, chopped
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 1/2 Tbsp. dark cocoa powder
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. chocolate covered sunflower seeds
Ground peanuts or almonds mixed with a few pinches of cocoa powder, to roll the balls in

Combine oats, almonds, flaxseed, cocoa, chia seeds, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir.

Melt peanut butter, and allow it to cool slightly, and then stir in honey and vanilla extract until it's combined. Once peanut butter has cooled a bit, pour it over the oat mixture, and mix well with a spoon. Then bring together with your hands. Once mixture is sticking together, fold in chocolate chips and sunflower seeds.

Roll dough into golf-ball sized (or slightly smaller) balls, and then roll in ground peanuts or ground almonds tossed with cocoa powder. These are best stored in the fridge. Makes about 12 to 15 granola bites.