RECIPE: Protein Explosion Bites {no-bake}

Chocolate AND peanut butter is, by far, my favorite flavor combination – in all forms – smoothies, cookies, ice cream, granola, you name it! When done in a healthier way, it makes it just that much more enjoyable! Last night I whipped up these no-bake goodies and they turned out even better than expected.

The best part is, they only take 10-15 minutes to make – SO SIMPLE!

NO-BAKE PROTEIN EXPLOSION BITES: {vegan, gluten-free, soy-free oil-free}

Makes approximately 16 bites (more or less depending on how big you make them)

What you Need:

• 1 cup gluten-free oats
• 1/2 cup organic creamy peanut butter*
• 1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips, or cacao nibs (optional, but highly recommended)
• 1/2 cup ground flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds mixture
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or raw coconut nectar**
• 1 teaspoon raw ground vanilla bean powder (can use vanilla extract instead)
• 1 Tablespoon raw cacao powder

* For a nut-free option, sunflower seed butter and/or tahini work perfectly!

** Coconut nectar is stickier and actually helps to hold the bites together better (especially if you add anything extra, such as protein powder). I prefer doing a mixture of half maple syrup and half coconut nectar.

How to:

1. In a nut grinder or food processor, grind your flax seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds until you reach a 1/2 cup of ground seeds. You can use whatever ratio you choose as far as the seeds go – I went heavier on the flax this batch.
2. Mix all of the ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl until well combined.
3. Roll into balls. I used a cookie scooper to form the balls – and ended up with 16, but you can make them smaller.
4. Lay the balls on a parchment paper lined plate or baking sheet and chill for at least an hour.
5. Enjoy!

These little bites are packed with protein, fiber, and flavor!

And since Willow was asleep by the time they were chilled and set, I gave her one to enjoy with her smoothie for breakfast this morning. She LOVED it! They’re creamy, nutty, and not overly sweet – so you can have them for a post-workout snack, breakfast, or dessert.

*** Since publishing this recipe, I have done a few variations and all have turned out:

• I didn’t grind the seeds the last time I made these – I left them whole and we actually enjoyed the little bits of crunch from the flax and chia.
• I tried using 1/4 cup of tahini + 1/4 cup of peanut butter (instead of 1/2 cup of just PB) and it might be my new favorite!
• Try adding in a couple dashes of cinnamon or maca powder!
• You can also add 1-2 TBSP of raw protein powder for an even bigger protein boost. This will make them sweeter, unless you use an unsweetened powder.

Thanks for stopping by!

❤