Protein bars. Fat balls. Snack bites. Oh my! With so many bars, balls and bites on the market right now, how do you choose which is best for your body’s needs? While it’s always best to grab a whole piece of food for any meal of the day, life is about balance & moderation. So there is a time and place to enjoy these convenient eats, and when we do, let’s opt for a homemade version instead of packaged.
In my recipe below, you’ll see all REAL ingredients. You won’t see ingredients commonly found in packaged “healthy” snacks like rice starch, pea protein isolate, or sunflower lecithin. What exactly ARE these things anyways amiright?! Do our bodies benefit from these added ingredients? Not quite, love. But more on that in a future post.
To boost your energy naturally and avoid a sugar crash, whip up these all-natural, refreshing bites for a healthy snack or post-meal/ after dinner treat. I originally made this recipe based off of the Maca Powder package from Trader Joe’s and I put my own lil spin on it 🙂
THE GOODS
- 1 cup walnuts
- 3/4 cup dried pitted dates
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil (melted blends best)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 scoop collagen peptides (check out Further Foods)
- 1/4 cup plant-based protein powder (try Tone It Up or Aloha, chocolate or vanilla)
- 2 Tablespoons maca powder (learn the benefits of maca in a future post!)
- 1 Tablespoon cacao powder
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 teeny drops mint extract
- Water as needed
THE WORK
- Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor
- Blend together and add water little by little to get the right consistency to form balls
- Choose your ball size! Make a few small ones, a few medium sized ones, etc.
- Lay out the balls on a plate or sheet that fits in the freezer. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before putting all balls into a sealed container to store.
Feel free to mix this up! Hate mint? Ditch it! Don’t love coconut oil? Use almond butter! Out of chia? Use flaxseeds! There are a kajillion ways to make these yummy bites, so play with this recipe and make it your OWN!
I’d love to hear if you’ve tried these! Let me know if you made the recipe to a T or played with it. Snap a pic, post it on social and tag me @WholeHardy so I can see & share!
Keep it fresh,
Katie
PS: There are a few really great brands of collagen peptides right now, and just a heads up that as Further Food is currently my top choice, I’m luckily & thankfully an affiliate of theirs as well. Just wanted to be forthcoming there so feel free to find your fave!