There are few foods as delicious and nostalgic as the peanut butter and jelly sandwich (made with Jiff on Wonder Bread, obviously). It’s gooey and soft and perfect. But despite the warm fuzzy feeling you get when you sink your teeth into one, PB&J sandwiches don’t help much when it comes to dieting.
Even worse, if you search for “fat loss recipes,” or “healthy snacks” most of the options taste about as good as you’d imagine. As in, they’re not enjoyable. At all.
That’s why we created the PB&J protein ball. It’s a muscle building snack, weight loss snack, and convenient option for any situation all wrapped into one.
Take that delicious childhood memory, add in healthy omega-3 fats and some extra protein, roll that into a ball, and you have yourself a perfect [adult] snack. Enjoy 2 or 3 protein balls in between meals to satiate your hunger, satisfy your cravings or simply to feel like a kid again.
We don’t care what your reason is, as long as you eat them and enjoy the delicious moment.
Ingredients
- 8 medjool dates, pitted
- 1/3 c all-natural creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp low-sugar or sugar-free jelly, flavor of choice*
- 10 drops Stevia Drops, vanilla crème
- 1 tbsp chia seed
- 4 tbsp peanuts, roasted and unsalted
- 1/2c old-fashioned oats
- 2 scoops protein powder**
- Dash of cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
*This recipe was made with Smucker’s Low-Sugar Strawberry Preserves.
**We recommend an unflavored, vanilla or peanut butter flavored protein powder for this recipe.
Directions
- In a small bowl, add the pitted dates and just enough water to cover the top. Let soak for 10 to 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a food processor, add the dates, peanut butter, jelly, Stevia drops, protein powder, cinnamon and sea salt. Process until fully combined. You may have to stop and use a spatula to scrap down the sides. Then you are welcome to “taste test” the spatula (because you have to make sure it’s good so far).
- Then add the chia seed, peanuts and oats. Pulse in quick increments. This will allow all of the ingredients to combine while still maintaining some of the textures of the oats, chia and peanuts.
- Spoon out about a tablespoon size of the mixture and roll into a ball about one inch thick. Wetting your hands will help you roll the balls easier.
- Repeat for each ball. Recipe yields about 25 balls.
Nutritional Information & Macros
Dietary Information: Dairy/Lactose free, Gluten free (if gluten-free oats are used), No trans fat
Macros per ball (recipe yields 25):
69.6 calories
2g fat
9g carbs
4g protein