The Fame of Health and Fitness

PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS

By Oxygen magazine (Abs Special, p. 70)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup prunes
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 cup soy protein powder (I used MAGNUM isolate, Chocolate Love)
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp sea salt (optional)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup wheat germ, divided

SOAK prunes in warm water for 10 minutes to soften.

BLEND prunes and water in a food processor. Add nut butter and process until smooth. Add more water as needed. Add protein powder, flaxseed, cinnamon and salt, then add the cranberries and 1/4 cup wheat germ, and pulse to combine thoroughly.

ROLL dough into a small ball about the size of a gumball between your palms. If dough is too sticky to work with, freeze it for 15 minutes.

ROLL each ball in wheat germ to coat. Set balls on a baking sheet and place in a freezer for 2 to 4 hours to allow them to harden. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed.

Nutrients per serving (4 balls):

Calories: 180, Total Fats: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 4mg, Total Carbohydrates: 20g, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 16g, Iron: 2 mg

REVIEW: I don’t have a food processor so I blended everything in my blender. My blender was struggling to fully mix the ingredients so I added more water to help with the blending process. I think in the end, there was too much water because it was difficult to make these into balls. So instead I poured the mixture into my silicon 6-cup tray. Ball or no ball, these were delicious! If you prefer a sweeter protein treat, this is your guy.