Behold, the protein ball in all it’s glory.
Also known as a small, easy to make, hand-held, pop-in-your-mouth-able, grain-free, protein-packed little snack of joy (made without any added protein powder!!).
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared a new ball recipe ’round these parts, so I figured it was about time to update you with my latest obsession: the seedy almond butter ball.
Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, naturally sweetened with dates, and absolutely loaded with the superfood power of seeds (chia! hemp! flax!), these little guys are my current answer to the question of what to eat during that in-between meal time when you’re hungry for something but don’t want to find yourself too full to actually enjoy the meal you’ll be eating shortly.
I’ve also been known to grab a few as an easy breakfast/snack before a walk in the morning, and think these would be such a fun little snack to tuck into your kids’ lunchboxes, if you happen to have kids who are into such a thing.
And, while I’m not one to care about the specific nutrient breakdown of the food I’m eating (I’d rather just eat satisfying food and listen to my body’s hunger/fullness cues than aim to consume an arbitrary number of grams of anything), I figured I couldn’t exactly name a recipe protein balls without knowing how much protein was actually in them; I did the math and it looks like each ball packs around 4 grams of protein!
My favorite part about these balls? The the chia seeds add a little bit of crunch-pop texture, kind of like the inside of a fig newton (cue excited eye roll). It’s seriously just so good.
If you’ve been looking for a simple, nutrient-dense, protein-packed snack, these seedy almond butter balls are definitely going to become your new favorites. If you make them, be sure to leave a comment below, or take a picture of your protein balls and share it with me on Instagram so I can see. Happy snacking, friends!
Seedy Almond Butter Protein Balls
Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 20 balls
Ingredients:
- 1 cup creamy, all-natural almond butter
- 6 medjool dates, pits removed
- 2 Tablespoons virgin/unrefined coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds (also known as hemp hearts)
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:
- Place almond butter, pitted dates, coconut oil, and vanilla into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add all remaining ingredients and pulse to combine.
- Scoop the batter into 20 balls, rolling between your palms to help compress/form them into balls. The batter will seem slightly crumbly, but the moisture from the dates holds them together once rolled in-between your palms. I like to use a mini ice cream scoop to keep them all exactly the same size, but a spoon works just fine for portioning them out.
- Store balls in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for several months. These are best kept in the fridge, but do hold up for a few days at room temp, if you want to pack them in a lunchbox or for a trip.
NOTES:
If your dates aren’t soft and sticky, cover them with hot water and let soak for 10-15 minutes before using. Any nut or seed butter you love can be used in place of the almond butter in this recipes. Feel free to add cinnamon or cardamom, or swap out the vanilla extract for almond to switch up the flavor profile of these balls.