I don't know about you, but I love anything that has peanut butter, I love anything that has chocolate, and anything that has both... Well, I REALLY LOVE!!! These peanut butter protein bites can be made in a variety of different ways to meet everyone's food and allergy needs. (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Allergies)
Some other things that I enjoy in life are: working out, cooking, music, dancing, singing, laughing, traveling. These bites incorporate a lot of what I love into my day when I make them. Today, I came home from working out, (these bites are an awesome post workout pick me up!) put some music on, and started to cook (assemble really) these amazing treats. Oh, and I definitely danced and sang the whole time!
Peanut Butter Protein Bites - Serving Size 2 Bites
To make these bites you'll need:
1 cup oats
1/2 cup natural peanut butter/almond butter/seed butter
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/4 cup ground wheat germ or ground flax seed
1/4 cup protein powder (I used Sunwarrior vanilla brown rice protein)
1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
1/4 cup non dairy chocolate chips/cacao nibs/carob chips
Method:
1. Toast coconut in a nonstick pan. It toasts quickly, so make sure you are continually stirring it to get an even browning.
2. When the coconut is toasted, pour it in a bowl to cool a bit.
3. If you are using flax seeds or wheat germ that is not already ground, grind flax seeds or wheat germ in a blender until it is like a flour/meal.
4. In a separate mixing bowl (if you have a standing mixer use that bowl), combine oats, ground flax seed or wheat germ, and protein powder and stir.
5. Add in toasted coconut and give it a stir, followed by the butter of choice and honey or maple syrup.
6. Combine all ingredients well. If you have a standing mixer or hand mixer, you can use it on a low to medium setting.
7. Once it is fully combined, put it to the side to sit for a few minutes, while you prepare the chocolate.
8. If you are using cacao nibs, you do not need to prepare anything, but if you are using chocolate or carob chips, put 1/4 cup of chocolate/carob chips in a baggy and seal it, making sure all the air is out of it. With a meat pounder, pound the chocolate/carob chips until they resemble nibs.
9. Add the chocolate/carob chips or cacao nibs into the mixture and combine well.
10. Roll the mixture into 14 - 1 1/2 inch balls, place them in a plastic container, and put in the refrigerator.
11. Eat cold and keep stored in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
Vegan
If you are a vegan that does not eat honey, use maple syrup instead of honey. Make sure that if you are using chocolate chips, there is no dairy in them. You can also use carob chips instead. The protein powder used should be plant based protein instead of casein or whey protein.
Gluten Free
If you are gluten free, make sure your oats are certified gluten free. In addition, make sure that you use ground flax seed instead of wheat germ. You will also want to check to make sure your nut/seed butter is gluten free. (I used Skippy's natural peanut butter and it stated it was gluten free!)
Nut Allergies
If you are allergic to nuts, there are seed butters now that you can use instead of nut butters. Make sure you use a seed butter for this recipe if you make it!
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