Salted Carmel Apple Protein Bites

These are a perfect treat for Halloween and Fall gatherings, super easy to make and packed with protein, healthy fat and fiber.

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup of caramel flavored protein powder (I used Vega Protein Made Simple)
¼ cup salted caramel or butterscotch chips (I used Trader Joes salted caramel)
¼ cup chopped dried apple
½ cup rolled oats

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey or maple syrup and vanilla and mix well. Stir in protein powder, chips, apples and oats and mix some more. Roll into 20 balls. Store in the fridge. They also freeze well!

Makes 20 bites

Serving size: 1 bite Calories 125 Protein 5 g Carb 11 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 7 g Fat 7 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 106 mg

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Dark Chocolate Protein Truffles

 

 

You cannot go wrong with these delicious treats. They are high in protein, low in carb, are grain free and can be made dairy free as well! Make some for a yummy guilt free Valentine’s day!

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy or crunchy unsalted natural almond butter, (thin drippy type is best, if you are using a no stir type you can put microwave it for 10-20 seconds to soften)
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup of unflavored protein powder (I a have used whey or egg white varieties, egg white works great to keep them dairy free) or ¼ c collagen peptide
¼ cup mini chocolate chips (the Enjoy life is great if you are dairy free)
extra cocoa powder, coconut, chocolate chip for rolling (optional)
Wax or parchment paper

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, combine the almond butter, honey, cocoa powder and salt and mix well. Stir in protein powder and chocolate chips and mix some more. Form into 18 balls. Roll in extra cocoa powder, coconut or chocolate chips if desired. Store in the fridge. They also freeze well!

Makes 18 bites

Serving size: 1 bite Calories 114 Protein 6 g Carb 6 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 3 g Fat 8 g Saturated fat < 1g Sodium 105 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 75: Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt Mini Sandwiches

The Recipe Redux for October is "Fresh From the Pumpkin Patch," so as you can guess, we were asked to create recipes using pumpkin of course! Gabby wanted to work on the recipe with me and had recently seen a picture of an ice cream sandwich so she asked if we could somehow combine mesh the pumpkin theme with some sort of ice cream sandwich as well. Our first thought was to use pumpkin ice cream but we realized we wanted to try something healthier than that.  After brainstorming we came up with making a protein bar type base with pumpkin puree and putting pumpkin yogurt in the middle which came out delicious! These mini ice cream sandwiches packed with whole grains, healthy fat and a decent amount of protein to not only satisfy a sweet craving for dessert or enjoy a treat-like snack...but they can even be eaten for breakfast, which we'd like to think is a game changer.  We hope you will try them out along with all the other pumpkin inspired creations brought to you by the recipe redux crew.

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy or crunchy unsalted natural almond butter (I used Trader Joes Raw Unsalted Crunchy)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup  
3 tablespoons pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ 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)
¾ cup of unflavored protein powder *

2 six ounce containers of flavored Greek Yogurt, at least partially pre-frozen in the freezer for a few hours (vanilla or pumpkin work well)
Wax or parchment paper

8 x 8 inch pan

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, pie spice and salt and mix well.  

Stir in the protein powder and oats and mix some more. Divide the dough mixture in half. Take one half of the dough mixture, and press it into a square to fit a 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.) Lift the paper to remove the dough square and set aside. 

Repeat the same process with the other half of the dough (lining it with parchment and pressing it into a square to fit a 8 by 8 inch pan.  Take the partially frozen yogurt out of the freezer and spread it on top of the dough in the pan to evenly coat.  

Carefully take to dough square previously set aside and put it on top of the yogurt topped dough to make a sandwich.  Cover with parchment and put in the freezer for 4-5 hours.

* I have had great success with using Nature’s Best Isopure Perfect Natural Protein Powder unflavored- it is gluten-free, lactose free

Makes 16 mini sandwiches

Serving size: 1/16th of recipe Calories 197 Protein 9 g Carb 12 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 7 g Fat 9  g Saturated fat <1 g="" sodium="" span="" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 51 mg

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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

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