I love a good protein bar. My personal favorites are Square Organics, followed closely by Perfect Bars.
Both are sweet, so they taste like a treat, but they are nutrient dense and packed with protein.
But it is important to remember with protein bars that they are also high on the calorie side. Square Organics bars average about 220 calories; Perfect Bars are closer to 330 calories.
For most people that aren’t trying to put on weight, this puts a Perfect Bar in the meal category. Or a Square Organic as your daily snack.
They aren’t in that under 100 calorie range that is great right before a workout or to pair with fruit for a snack.
That’s why I love my Peanut Butter Protein Balls. They are super easy to make, plus you can roll them small so they don’t have to eat up your whole snack calorie budget. And I finally found something to do with those crumbs at the bottom of the granola bag!
Recipe for Peanut Butter Protein Balls
In a Vitamix (use the dry container) or food processor add:
- 4 tablespoons of Wild Friends Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter
- 1 tablespoon of Siggi’s Vanilla Yogurt
- 1 frozen banana, sliced into thirds
- ¾ cup of Trader Joe’s Rolled Oats
- ¼ cup of Purely Elizabeth’s Ancient Grain Granola (or any flavor). Key: Use the loose granola at the bottom of the bag!
- 1 packet of Truvia
Directions:
Remove mixture and roll into small bites. If you roll this batch into a dozen bites, they are 70 calories a bite. Great for an easy and tasty pre-workout treat!
Put them in the freezer laying flat (I just put them in Tupperware) and once they are firm, you can put them in a plastic bag.
You can eat these guys cold or let them sit out for about 10 minutes and enjoy them a little defrosted. I like mine closer to room temperature with a little cinnamon on top.
Happy snacking all!
