How to Make Protein Bites

Sponsored by About Time

If you spend any time on Pinterest, no doubt you’ve seen plenty of protein ball and energy bite recipes floating around.

These little nuggets not only taste great, but are super easy to make and so good for you. A perfect way to control the ingredients in what you eat (avoiding added sugar or preservatives), these bites will serve many purposes throughout your busy week.

Grab a couple for breakfast along with some fruit and Greek yogurt. Grab a bite before your workout for an energy burst. Hungry in between meals? These bites are your friend. In fact, any time you want to grab something quick and convenient to satisfy hunger pangs— protein bites are a perfect solution. Also: they are kid-friendly. Little hands love grabbing these little healthy bites.

Here’s what you’ll get nutrition-wise from these bites:

• a nice pop of protein, from the whey powder and the nut butters
• fiber from the oats and nuts
• healthy fats from the nut butters

Since there are about a million different recipes and variations, it can get a little overwhelming to know where to start. If you’ve never tried making these healthy bites before, this post will break down the basics of what types of ingredients go into protein balls.

After you make your first batch, you may want to experiment with different flavors and add-ons. There’s really no wrong way to make these, so get creative with the flavors and ingredients you like best.

Here’s the basics:

• Pick a nut butter: you’ll need to choose one in this category, because of the sticky consistency. The nut butter will help to hold the other ingredients together.
• Pick a protein powder: again this category is essential to the bites as it provides the protein and flavor while counteracting the stickiness of the nut butters. Chocolate or Vanilla are great choices, but feel free to branch out and experiment!
• Add an extra or two: You can choose one of more from this category. Oats, dried fruits, chocolate chips or crushed nuts. For a flavor boost, try vanilla extract or cinnamon.
• Add seeds if desired: Superfood chia seeds, hemp or flaxseeds are great choices that provide some extra nutrition.
• Make it sweet: honey, applesauce, maple syrup are great choices for their sticky texture. Liquid stevia also works well, depending on your taste.

Now that you’ve chosen your ingredients, all that’s left to do is:

1. Mix your ingredients together
2. Form into bite sized balls
3. Chill before eating.

Basic Protein Bites Recipe – yields about 18 bites

• 2 Scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
• 1/2 cup nut butter
• 1/4 cup sticky sweetener
• 1 cup oats
• extras as desired (chia seeds, etc.)

Mix together your dry ingredients first. In a separate bowl, combine nut butter and sticky sweetener (if desired, microwave for about 8 seconds for easier mixing). Add sticky ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together. Add your extras if desired. Roll into balls and chill before eating! Enjoy!

These bites can stay about a week in the fridge, but usually they don’t last that long.  Each recipe is slightly different, and you’ll want to experiment with the ratio of dry ingredients to wet, to find the right consistency for your favorite bites. If you use fewer sticky ingredients, you can always add a bit of almond milk to help make the ingredients easier to stir.

A few more ball recipes to try, then branch out on your own and make the flavors you like the best:

• Here’s a great healthy bite recipe from Slim Sanity to try.
• Another bite recipe from About Time
• Carob Banana Balls
• Almond Butter Balls

Once you’ve tried these protein bites, you’ll quickly be addicted. Adding in some extra protein to your diet pays off in so many ways. For more ideas, tips and tricks on cooking with Whey Protein, click here.

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