3 Ingredient Protein Bites

Vegan, Gluten-Free “3 Ingredient Protein Bites” are perfect for snacks/dessert! Made in just one bowl and requires 10 minutes or less of your time. 

I got Fitbit for Christmas and I am learning that I move very little on a daily basis. So I am trying to be more intentional about not being so carried away at my desk and move around every couple of hours. Unlike last week, I am going to do my best to meet my goal of 10,000 steps everyday. On an unrelated note, today I am sharing 3 Ingredient Protein Bites for your snacking needs and to satisfy your sweet tooth with something more nutritious than a candy bar.

It is vegan, gluten-free, and made with only 3 ingredients. Unless you are like the boyfriend and thinks a little sweetener (honey, maple syrup) will make 3 Ingredient Protein Bites shine then go for it. Who am I to stop you?3 Ingredient Protein Bites are simply made with almond meal/flour, protein powder, and peanut butter all of which are nutritious but make sure you use a good quality protein powder and the right type of peanut butter.

When it comes to peanut butter, it’s simple – read the ingredient list to make sure it only has peanuts and occasional salt as it’s ingredients. Steer clear of PB jar with sugar/molasses, palm oil, hydrogenated fats because we don’t need more added sugar in our life than we already do and palm oil/hydrogenated fats are trans fat (worse type of fat as it raises bad cholesterol “LDL” and decreases good cholesterol “HDL”). Also, just because a jar says ‘natural/organic’ that doesn’t always mean they won’t have sugar/other oils so please read the ingredient list.

Protein powder continues to remain as a ‘hot topic’ yet very confusing for most people including myself. Before we get further, let me clarify that no one needs to incorporate protein powder in order to have a healthy diet or to reach their fitness goals. There are several other protein sources (meat, fish, nuts, beans, tofu) but it’s an option if you are unable to for some reason. Protein powders are a convenient way to boost protein intake and can be incorporated into smoothies and baked goods. When choosing between protein powder, you need to consider the taste (which is a big one for me) and of course the type/quality of the protein. My RD friend Megan has a great post on this topic and learn more on protein 101 here.

Now what the heck is almond meal/flour if you aren’t already familiar with it? Almond meal is ground from whole, blanched almonds. Almonds are notoriously healthy nuts providing a good amount of manganese and vitamin E , as well as a healthy serving of monounsaturated fat. Not only do almonds have a healthy boost of protein, they are also very low in carbohydrates and inherently gluten free. It is often suggested to replace 25% of flour in baked goods with almond flour to improve texture, flavor and reducing total carbohydrates (source). These vegetable pancakes I shared long time ago are made exclusively with almond flour!

You can certainly adjust and play around with the flavor by using different nut butter, different flavor of protein powder, sweetener, or drizzle chocolate if that’s your thing. Keep them covered in the fridge but they are portable and stays well inside your purse/lunch bag at room temperature too.

3 Ingredient Protein Bites

Author: Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond meal/flour
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 scoop protein powder, vanilla
• 1 heaping tablespoon liquid sweetener like honey, maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until well combined.
2. Take about 1 tablespoon of the mix and roll it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
3. Place the ball in a mini-muffin liner or a container lined with parchment paper.
4. Keep it covered and store it in the fridge.

Notes

Make sure to use vegan protein powder to keep it 100% vegan!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Tell me if your favorite protein powder brand. I am always on the lookout.Linking up withRunning on Happy and The Fit Foodie Mama.