Peanut Butter Pecan Protein Bliss Balls

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Peanut Butter Cup Pecan Protein Bliss Balls

Prep Time20 min Cook Time20 min Total Time40 min Ingredients 2 cups steel-cut oats 2/3 cup all-natural peanut butter 3 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil 1-3 oz. high-quality dark chocolate bar (at least 75% cocoa) 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup (optional) Instructions

1. Combine the oats, peanut butter, coconut oil, brown rice syrup (if using), and pecans in a large glass bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes, stopping to stir every minute or so.

2. Break the chocolate bar up into chunks (they don't have to be that small) and stir them into the oats mixture along with the cocoa powder.

3. Dump everything into a food processor and process for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add more oats if too runny, and add more peanut butter and coconut oil if too thick.

4. When the desired size of chunks has been reached, remove the blade and roll about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into 1-inch balls.

5. Place the balls on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or until firm.

6. Throw two or three in a plastic bag and enjoy within 15 minutes of your workout!

Notes Peanut Butter: Make sure to use all-natural, unsweetened peanut butter. Look at the label and make sure it only says "peanuts and salt." Chocolate: Use at least 75% dark chocolate. Anything above that is even better, otherwise you're getting extra sugar. Brown Rice Syrup: If your tastebuds are still little sugar-cravers, use a bit of this to sweeten these up. Use less and less over time until you don't need it anymore.

Notes on Ingredients

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is obviously beloved by the “fit” community, and for good reason. It’s protein-and-good-fat-packed, portable, versatile, and absolutely delicious. However, not all peanut butter is created equal! Make sure to look for peanut butter that has only peanuts and salt on the label. The store I grocery shop at, Fresh Thyme, has machines there that let you grind your own peanut butter. It’s only $2 for a pretty big container of it, which is way less than those “fancy” ones (… ahem … looking at you, Justin …), not to mention it doesn’t have any added sugar or preservatives. If you don’t have anything like that near you, make extra sure to read those labels.

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Chocolate

You might be torn between knowing chocolate has lots of antioxidants and thinking something so delicious can’t possibly be good for you. The good news: chocolate is amazing for you. The bad news: (alright, this isn’t really bad news) you have to watch out for sugar. I use 82% dark chocolate, which is awesome. My taste buds have adjusted so it doesn’t taste super bitter to me like it would to someone whose tastes are still more sweet. If that’s you, start with around 70% cocoa and work your way down as your tastes adjust. Soon you won’t miss milk chocolate at all!

Brown Rice Syrup

Whatever you do, do not use honey or agave. These “natural sweeteners” are actually chock-full of fructose, which is the bad stuff. Brown rice syrup is all glucose, which our bodies can metabolize quickly and efficiently. It helps to sweeten these up a little if you’re still a sweet-tooth. Only add a tablespoon or so if you absolutely need it, and work your way down until you don’t.

A Quick Note on “Natural Sugars”

In the majority of “healthy” snack or dessert recipes you find on Pinterest, you see ingredients like honey, agave, or dates. Dried dates are a huge ingredient in a lot of bliss ball or homemade protein bar recipes. They’re natural, they’re sweet, and they help hold everything together. Great, right? Nope. As I noted above, these items are full of fructose, which slows down your liver, tells your body to store fat, and is just bad. Fructose is fructose, whether it comes in a can of Coke or a spoonful of honey. I highly recommend watching “Sugar Coated” on Netflix for more information.

bon appetit