Vegan Berry Cream Protein Bites
Makes 40 Balls
Now answer me this: what did humankind DO before the invention of these funny little energy balls? How did we snack on the go? How did we cram a ton of goodness into one mouth-sized bite? The mind simply boggles! I know these little bites of deliciousness are as easy to make as simply chucking everything in the blender, but until now, I have never made an energy ball that I felt comfortable enough to post. They were either too dry, too sweet or too stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth-y. But thankfully I’ve finally nailed it and they really were worth waiting for.
I know it’s hard to get particularly excited about yet another protein bite, since the internet is totally saturated with photos and recipes of them already. But, as a busy mum, these bad boys are a godsend. They take 5 minutes to whizz up and 2 balls contain 110 calories and 4g of plant-based protein. My kids hardly eat any protein at school, so I like to be able to hand them a couple of these when I pick them up to give them a little boost.
They taste of sweet berry cream, despite them being vegan and containing ZERO grams of sugar, thanks to using the natural sugar substitute of erythritol. I am relatively new to using this form of sweetener (which is a sugar alcohol) and if you aren’t familiar with it, so far I can highly recommend it! It contains almost no calories and has only 70% of the sweetness of sugar. But most interestingly, it doesn't raise blood sugar or insulin levels, making it the perfect choice for both kids and adults alike; and especially people with diabetes. It also doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste like stevia does, so I use it as a 1:1 substitution for regular sugar in my recipes now.
These deliciously creamy protein bites freeze wonderfully so I always have them to hand for the inevitable mid-afternoon energy slump for the whole family to enjoy.
INGREDIENTS
· 100g Vanilla Protein powder
· 25g Milled Flaxseed
· 30g Desicated Coconut
· 30g Ground Almonds
· 90g Coconut Oil
· 70g Cashew Nut Butter
· 30g Erythritol
· 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
· 190g Frozen Berries (I used Blueberries and Raspberries)
· Optional: 1½ tsp Superfood Powder like Acai, Baobab, Maca or Lucuma
METHOD
· Put all of the ingredients into a high speed blender and blitz until a thick paste has formed.
· Line a large tray with parchment paper and roll them into bite-sized balls.
· Place in the fridge to firm up for an hour or so.
· Either store in an airtight jar in the fridge for a few days or else freeze in Ziploc bags.
· Best eaten after a few minutes of defrosting from the freezer.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Per 2 balls
Calories – 110
Protein – 4g
Fat – 9g
Carbohydrates – 3g
Fibre – 1g