So I’m hardcore into eating a high protein diet. Yeah me.. the woman that makes 900 desserts a week, has bacon in her veins and chocolate on her face. Yeah, me! LOL I live for my protein shakes, tuna and chicken. However I’m human… and a woman.. and every now and then I NEED something sweet. Something that will just knock my socks off without all the guilt (like the time I sat in my bed watching Mark Wahlberg in anything eating an entire container of Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream).. SHUSH! No judgements, please! My thighs punished me quite nicely for it!
Anyway, even I get tired of protein shakes even though I absolutely LOVE them. Well I’ve been on this kick of wanting, no, needing something more. Like most of you I perused my thousands of recipes seeing if there was something I could ‘healthify’ that’s when I came up on an old recipe for energy bites. I’ve made them a bunch of times and while they are healthy I needed to make them more suitable for my diet and smush a ton of protein in ’em. So I revamped the recipe and came up with this AMAZING, GLORIOUS little balls.
What I love most about this recipes is that you can make it your own, just like I did, so easily! If you want raisins, nuts or would prefer almond butter over peanut butter – go for it. Just be sure that if you take out 1/2 cup of dry, you replace it with a 1/2 cup of something else dry. This is AWESOME with ground flax seed – it MUST be ground and not whole otherwise you’re defeating the purpose as your body doesn’t absorb whole flax seeds.
What’s also great is you can shape these as big or little as you want however I recommend making them no bigger than 1 inch. Plus you can leave ’em nekkid or roll them in something like I did – coconut, mini dark chips, cocoa powder.
Now someone did suggest coating them in a yogurt topping and while I LOVE yogurt covered stuff, it’s soooooooooooooo not healthy for you. Why? In order to make them yogurt covered you have to mix the yogurt with tons of confectioner’s sugar. Um yeah no.. I want HEALTHY, not faux-healthy.
Another lesson here that is IMPORTANT – Protein Powder. When you buy protein powder the very first ingredient MUST MUST MUST be Whey Protein Isolate. Period! If it says “Whey Protein Concentrate” or “Whey Protein Blend” – skip it.
Whey protein isolate has the highest protein concentration (90-95%) and contains very little (if any) fat, lactose and minerals. Whey protein concentrate has a protein concentration ranging from 25-89%. Most whey protein concentrate products have a protein concentration of 80%. Whey protein concentrates contain some lactose, fat and mineral. Another major difference between whey protein isolates and whey protein concentrates is that whey protein isolates are lactose free and a more expensive but are better for you.
I personally prefer Syntrax Nectar Sweets.
Protein Packed Power Balls – High protein dessert!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup quick oats
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup Syntrax Nectar Sweets Chocolate Truffle Whey Protein Isolate Powder (vanilla works perfectly as well)
- 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips
- Additional items to roll them in: seeds, ground flax seed, mini chips, cocoa powder
Instructions
- Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Use your muscles here.
- When it gets too tough to stir with a spoon, use your clean hands.
- Chill in fridge for an hour.
- Once chilled, roll into 1” sized balls.
- At this point you can leave ‘em nekkid or you can roll them in toppings.
- Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Notes
You can substitute in pretty much any healthy snack. If you don’t like peanut butter try a different nut butter.
You can use pretty much any dried fruit, nut, chips, grains (use rice cereal maybe).
Ground flax seed or wheat germ is awesome in this.
If you omit one dry ingredient you must put in another dry ingredient in this place.
If they feel a tad dry, add in more honey or peanut butter.
You don’t have to keep these in the fridge, but I prefer them cold.
You can also make these into bars but pressing them in a 9×13″ parchment lined pan.
Typical serving is 2 as a snack or post-workout treat
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