It’s the afternoon; your energy is flagging and it’s oh-so it’s tempting to grab a sugary treat.
But try swapping that chocolate biscuit for a protein ball crammed with health-giving ingredients such as protein powder, chia seeds, nuts and dried fruits.
Here's five irresistible recipes for goodness in the round.
Choc, orange & hazelnut protein balls
- ⅔ cups of shredded or desiccated coconut plus extra for coating
- 1 cup of hazelnut meal
- ¼ cup roasted hazelnuts
- ⅓ cup cacao powder
- 10 Medjool dates (or 1 cup soaked dates)
- Zest and freshly squeezed juice of one medium orange
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
Put all ingredients into a food processor and blitz until combined
Roll into small balls. Roll in the added coconut. Place on a lined tray and pop in the fridge until serving
Vanilla cranberry pistachio protein balls
- 1 cup dried, cranberries
- 1 orange, juiced and zested
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp rice malt syrup
- ¾ cup vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup walnuts
- ½ cup pistachio nuts
In a food processor, blitz the cranberries, orange juice and zest, coconut oil and rice malt syrup until a rough sticky paste is formed.
Add vanilla protein powder and the walnuts and blitz again until a dough is formed. If your dough isn’t coming together, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it does.
Transfer the dough to a bowl and then begin shaping portions into round balls.
To create the pistachio coating, blitz the pistachios in a blender or food processor until it resembles something like fine sand with a few larger chunks in there too. Pour this out onto a chopping board and roll each of the balls in it until they are well coated.
Almond & cherry protein balls
- 1 cup almonds
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ½ cup cashews
- 1&fra12; cups dried cherries
- 8 pitted Medjool dates
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp water
Put all dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add water and process until mixture comes together.
Using wet hands, roll into bite-sized balls. Place in a sealed container in the fridge. Eat within a week.
Recipe by Clean Program
Peanut butter protein balls
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup vanilla whey protein powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- ½ cup smooth natural peanut butter
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- ⅓ cup raisins or cranberries
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-4 tbsp almond milk
Put all dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add vanilla and 2 tbsp almond milk and process until mixture comes together. Add more almond milk if mixture looks too dry.
Using wet hands, roll into bite-sized balls. Place in a sealed container in the fridge. Eat within a week.
Pistachio & pear protein balls
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates
- 1 cup dried pears
- ½ cup cashews
- ½ cup shelled pistachios, plus ½ cup finely chopped pistachios extra, for rolling
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 tbsp cashew butter
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp water
Put all dry ingredients (except for extra pistachios) in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add water and process until mixture comes together.
Roll into bite-sized balls. Put the extra finely chopped pistachios on a sheet of baking paper. Roll balls in the pistachios.
Place in a sealed container in the fridge. Eat within a week.