The All-Star of Protein Balls

by | Feb 20, 2020 | Recipe | 0 comments

These protein balls are THE BEST quick, nutrient-dense snack for pregnancy and postpartum. They are chalk-full of many minerals and vitamins from all the seeds and dried fruits, and also contain loads of healthy fats and protein to keep you going when you don’t have time to sit down for a proper meal. Oh, and they are also vegan and gluten-free.

I love to have these in the fridge for mornings I’m rushing around, and I will always have a container full in my purse, because I DO NOT like to get stuck without a snack when my ‘hanger’ sets in. When I was pregnant, I typically didn’t have any warning and would go from fine to 100% hangry in a matter of a few short minutes.

If you are expecting, or know someone who is, this is also an awesome gift to bring a new mom, so she can snack on these nourishing and delicious bites.

My tried and true energy ball recipe can be found here (along with 5 other snack ideas for postpartum), and it was the recipe I’ve been using for years. Until my mom made her version of her “energy bites” and I’ve been hooked on these ever since. So, thank you mom!

Ingredients

2 cups oats ground*
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds ground*
1/2 cup flax seeds ground*
1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup cocoa powder (this will achieve a dark chocolate flavour, feel free to add less)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 cups nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew)
3/4 cup pureed dates (soak for a few hours until just covered, then blend water and dates together)
1/2 cup coconut cream (place canned coconut milk into fridge, and use hardened cream at top of can)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup Goji berries (soaked, drained, then chopped)
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup maple syrup

NOTES:
*Use food processor or blender to blend until fine. I used my Vitamix with a dry blade.
-If mixture is too dry once mixed, add more nut butter or maple syrup. If too wet, add more oat or flax seed flour. I like to err on the wet side for ease in rolling.
-This recipe makes a LOT (see pic below), which is why I freeze half the batch for later.

Grind seeds finely so that balls stick together better. Not mandatory, but I prefer them this way.

Directions

  1. Mix all dry ingredients together, then add wet ingredients until fully mixed.
  2. Roll into balls
  3. Put in container and refrigerate (I froze half my batch to save for later)
This is the quantity I got from the measurements above. Feel free to 1/2 the amounts if you don’t want so much, or double it if you want to make more!

Happy snacking!

xx Lia