Perfect Bar Dupe

If there’s one thing that motherhood has solidified for me (okay, one of many things…), it’s the need to keep hearty snacks at hand, both for my kiddo and myself. I’m a firm believer in the value of sitting to eat a well balanced meal, but also see the necessity of something like a protein bar for those moments when you just need to grab something!! Staying fueled is a non-negotiable for me. GoMacro and Perfect Bar are two of my go to’s, but the cost adds up quick, especially in busy seasons when I might have one every afternoon. This recipe is a fantastic homemade version that I love just as much, and so much more affordable!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups peanut butter

• 3/4 cup raw honey

• 1/2 cup NAKED Nutrition whey protein, unflavored

• 1/4 cup unflavored collagen

• 1/4 cup peanut butter powder

• big pinch of salt

• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

• 1 cup gluten free quick oats

• 1/2 cup (or more) chocolate chips of choice

Steps:

1. Mix together the top 7 ingredients: peanut butter, honey, NAKED Nutrition whey protein, collagen, peanut butter powder, salt, and vanilla. You can use a food processor or a mixer, but a big bowl and sturdy spoon will do the trick just fine.

2. Stir in the oats. The mixture will be thick!

3. Press into a parchment lined pan, then top with the chocolate chips and press them into the top of the bars.

4. Let them chill in the fridge for a couple hours, then slice into 12 portions. Store in the fridge.

Approximate nutrition breakdown per bar: 350 kcal, 19 gm protein, 32 gm carb, 18 gm fat

Note: I chose NAKED Nutrition whey protein for this recipe because it contains one single ingredient: whey protein concentrate. NAKED sources their protein from small non-GMO dairy farms where the cows are grass-fed, free roaming, and raised without hormones. It is also third party tested! I have purchased NAKED Nutrition products on my own many times, but NAKED did graciously sponsor this post!

This recipe is also inspired by my dear friend Kate over at Narnia & Lattes, and has been modified and shared with her permission. You can find her post here!

Upgraded Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut butter balls (aka buckeyes) have been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. I put a little twist on the recipe this year to replace the 2 cups of powdered sugar with 1/3 cup of honey and added a little bit of protein powder to thicken, and I think I like them even better!

Upgraded Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

1.5 cups thick peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter)
1/3 cup honey (or to taste)
1/4 cup butter or ghee
1/4 tsp salt
1 to 2 scoops Nuzest vanilla protein (wholedailylife for 15%)
2 cups chocolate chips (I like Enjoy Life brand)
2 tbsp coconut oil

1. In a mixer, stir the peanut butter, honey, butter/ghee, and salt until well combined.

2. Add 1 scoop of Nuzest to thicken, then another if needed to make the dough rollable.

3. Scoop the dough out into balls (I use a cookie scoop) and place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Transfer to freezer for about 1 hour.

4. While the balls are chilling, put the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat on the stovetop. Stir constantly until almost melted, then remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth.

5. Use toothpicks to dip each ball into the melted chocolate before placing back on the baking sheet. (Alternatively, you can use 2 forks.) I had extra chocolate so I drizzled it over the top!

6. Store in the fridge.

I hope you love these as much as we do!

Until next time,

Tracey

4 Ingredient Honey Mama's Chocolate Recipe

You know I love to post Whole30 compliant recipes, but I also LOVE a good treat, and this one is the real deal. When I say this recipe is DELICIOUS, I mean it. I haven't had a single person tell me that they don't love it. I have to be careful that I don't eat the entire thing in one sitting!! 

Here's what you need:

1/4 cup cacao powder

2 tbsp coconut butter

2 tbsp coconut oil (this is by far my favorite brand!!)

2 tbsp honey (I use this one or this one)

Optional: pinch of salt (highly recommend!)

It couldn't be any more simple, just warm up all of your ingredients and mix until smooth! I like to set them in the sunshine to soften, but you can also combine in a small saucepan over low heat. You don't want it to get too hot, just enough to combine (this helps keep the benefits of the honey in-tact)! Pour into a parchment lined dish and place in the fridge to set.

When firm, cut into pieces, dust with more cacao powder if you wish, and store in the fridge!

If you make some, I'd love to hear what you think! Let me know in the comments of my most recent post on Instagram (I always keep up with the comments on my most recent two photos) or share a picture and tag me in it!!

Enjoy!

Brownie Batter Protein Balls + December Promo Code!

These balls are seriously a treat, and they’re loaded up with healthy fats and protein! I like to keep a batch in my fridge for whenever I need a sweet bite, and I’ve been known to have a few as breakfast too, along with an extra scoop of collagen in my coffee! I was inspired by a recipe that nurturingbodyandmind posted on her Instagram a while back and I modify a little bit with each batch...they're very forgiving. The key ingredients here are the Nuttzo Chocolate Power Fuel and the Chocolate Fudge Nuzest, which really pack in the brownie batter flavor! A couple of my other favorite brands have made it in as well, including Nutpods and Guiltless Goodies!

Here’s the recipe; I hope you give them a try!

PS. Nuzest hooked me up with a special discount code for all of December: use wholedailylife25 for 25% off of any regular priced item instead of the usual 15%!!

Brownie Batter Protein Balls

-1/4 cup Guiltless Goodies Superseed Flour (alternatively, ground flax seeds)

-1/4 cup hemp hearts

-1/3 cup walnuts (or sub other nut of choice)

-2 scoops Nuzest Fudge Chocolate protein powder

-2-3 tbsp Nutpods (any flavor, I used original )

-1/2 cup Nuttzo Chocolate Power Fuel 

Toss everything in a food processor and blend away! I like to blend up the seed flour, hemp hearts, and nuts first, then add the Nuzest, followed by the Nutpods and Nuttzo, but it really all ends up the same. If the mixture feels a little too dry, add more Nutpods 1 tbsp at a time until you get a soft consistency! I use a 1oz cookie scoop to form the balls. Dust them with some cocoa powder if you're feeling fancy! You'll want to store these in the fridge, if they last past a day.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Granola No-Bake Almond Butter Fudge Pie

How's that for a mouthful of a name?! Believe me, the flavor lives up to the hype.

I've always loved the combination of nut butter and chocolate, so when I got my hands on a bag of Kitchfix chocolate sea salt granola, that's immediately where my mind wandered. I also had a couple of jars of Barney Butter almond butter that were begging to play, so I sketched out a rough recipe on a piece of scratch paper and got to work! 

I got lucky and nailed this one on the first try. The only thing to note is that it does soften up (to more of a mousse consistency) at room temperature, so it's best to slice and serve it chilled. This pie is definitely rich, and the base recipe would be great for experimenting with different types of crusts, mix-ins, and toppings!

Ingredients:

2 cups Kitchfix Cocoa Sea Salt Granola

3/4 cup coconut oil, divided (the only brand I use is Dignity Coconuts!)

3 tbsp cacao powder

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 dates, pitted and roughly chopped

1.5 cups almond butter (I used a mix of original and chocolate coconut Barney Butter)

2-4 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Toppings: almond butter to drizzle, melted chocolate to drizzle, Eating Evolved chocolate chunks, more granola

Instructions:

1. Start by lining a 6" pan with parchment paper. (I made two long strips (each about 2" wide) that made an X across the bottom and extended about an inch above the sides, then laid a round piece on top of that.) Spray everything down with a spritz of oil so that it stays in place. 

2. In the bowl of a food processor blend the 2 dates, 3 tbsp cacao powder, and 1/4 cup of coconut oil until smooth. Add in the 1/2 cup of shredded coconut and the 2 cups of granola and pulse until the mixture comes together. Transfer it to the lined pan and press down to form a crust on the bottom and half way up the sides. Set it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

3. Wipe out the bowl of the food processor (no need to wash) and add in the almond butter, vanilla, and remaining 1/2 cup coconut oil. Pulse to combine, then add in the maple syrup to taste. (My almond butter had a bit of sweetener in it already, so I stuck with 2 tbsp, but if yours doesn't, you might want more!) Pour into the crust, smooth the top, then place in the fridge to set.

4. Let chill for at least 2 hours, until firm. To remove from the pan, flip upside down, run hot water over the bottom and sides, flip right side up again, then use the strips of parchment that cross under the bottom to lift the pie out.

 5. Add toppings of choice! I used some additional almond butter, some Eating Evolved chocolate that I melted to drizzle, and some Eating Evolved chunks. I also finished off the rest of the bag of granola on top!