Birds Nest Protein Bites

Here's a Spring treat you can feel good about enjoying! Packed with protein and relatively low in sugar, (yet decadently delicious) this makes a great dessert, snack or goodie for Easter baskets or parties.

Ingredients:

½ cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter or almond butter
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla  

1/2 cup oats (old fashioned, not quick, use a gluten-free oats such as Bob's Red Mill if you are on a gluten-free diet)
1.5 scoops of protein powder, preferably unflavored (the average scoop is about 4 tablespoons or ¼ cup, 25-30 Grams, so 1.5 scoops would be approx 6 tablespoons) *

48 M&Ms or small jelly beans

1/8-1/4 teaspoon sea salt (if starting with unsalted PB/almond butter add the 1/4 teaspoon)

Wax or parchment paper

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, combine the maple syrup, salt, vanilla, and peanut/almond butter and mix well.  Stir in the oats, protein powder and mix some more. Press mixture into an 8 by 8 inch pan. (Lining the pan with a large rectangular piece of parchment paper, placing the mixture on one side and then folding the paper over to press down works nicely since the dough is so sticky.) Chill in the fridge for an hour or more (if you can wait that long!) and roll the dough  into 16 balls. Press 3 pieces of M& Ms or jelly beans into the center and serve. Store in the fridge.  These bites also freeze well!

·      I have had great success with Nature’s Best Isopure Perfect Natural Whey Protein Brand- Unflavored, it is all natural, gluten-free, lactose Free and works great

Makes 16 bites, sixteen servings

Serving size: 1/16th of recipe  Calories 100 Protein 5 g Carb 8 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 5 g Fat 5 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 65 mg