15 Jun Protein bliss balls recipe: the perfect healthy snack
Protein bliss balls: perfect for snacks, school lunches, hungry teenagers, and for those times when something yummy and chocolaty (but still super healthy) is required… I first learned this recipe from the very knowledgeable and lovely Leisa Wheeler at her Embracing Health Retreat in Byron Bay some years ago, and it’s been a family favourite ever since.
For those who have just attended my weekend workshop “Nutrition for emotional health”, you’ll know that regular protein intake is important for optimal emotional health, because (unlike high GI carbohydrate foods) it facilitates balanced and stable blood sugar levels, plus provides the raw materials (amino acids) that we need for healthy and “happy” moods.
Here’s the recipe as I made it for you – but you can interchange all the nuts and seeds, and use honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup as the sweeteners, to suit whatever you have available on the day…
The individual amounts are up to you – just play as you go along, and add more of what is required to get the right consistency to roll into balls.
You want to start with a total of 3 cups of nuts and seeds. Just throw them into your blender until they are roughly chopped, or simply chop them up if you don’t own a blender.
Any combination of nuts and seeds is fine, but I used:
1 cup almonds
1 cup cashews
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
Stir together in a bowl with 2 tablespoons softened organic coconut oil (just heat over a bowl of hot water, don’t actually cook it) and mix well.
Add 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder (I used 1 tablespoon raw carob powder and 1 tablespoon of cacao)
In a separate bowl over a bowl of hot water (so it is gently heating, but not cooking) combine ½ jar hulled organic tahini with ½ jar raw honey.
Mix until warmed through and well blended. Then add in your dry ingredients and stir until really well mixed through.
Roll them into balls and coat with desiccated coconut (they will be sticky!), then put onto a lined tray and into the freezer. Once cold, they will become firm, and you can then wrap them individually in foil for freezing.
You can eat them straight from the freezer, or take them out and about with you for a high protein yummy snack during the day. Enjoy!
If you want to learn more about supporting healthy and happy moods through nutrition, or if you live on the Sunshine Coast and would like to attend my next “Nutrition for emotional health” workshop, contact me. I love helping people thrive 🙂
