Chocolate Protein Balls

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Almond Butter or another nut butter
1 Tbsp Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
1 Tsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
1 Dash Stevia
1-2 Tsp Water
Shredded Coconut (optional)

Directions:

1.) Mix together all ingredients
2.) Scoop approximately 1 Tbsp of protein powder mix and roll into 5 individual sized balls
3.) OPTIONAL- Roll protein balls in a small bowl of shredded coconut
4.) Place Double Chocolate Protein Balls in freezer for approximately 30 minutes

Double Chocoalte Protein Ball Nutrition Facts

Makes Approximately 5 Bars

Serving Size: 1 Protein Ball

Calories: 47      Fats: 2 g       Carbs: 1 g       Fiber: 0.3 g      Protein: 6.4 g

Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 1 Pt

http://she-fit.com/double-chocolate-protein-balls/

Frozen Banana Nutty Nibblers

 

Ingredients
5 medium ripe bananas
1 tbsp. all natural creamy peanut butter
2 oz. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Peel one banana and mash it with the peanut butter and yogurt. Set aside.
2. Peel the other four bananas. Slice into half-inch thick slices. Smear the banana, peanut butter, and yogurt mixture on half the banana slices and top with the other halves, making banana sandwiches. Place on a wooden cutting board or a plate and freeze for at least two hours.

4 ingredient protein bars

• 10 dates, pitted
• 1 cup nuts (I used walnuts)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (raw is best nutritionally, but expensive)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

Put the nuts in a food processor and blend until crumbly like fresh bread crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until it begins to clump together. Scrape down the sides if necessary and repeat. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, parchment paper or wax paper. Press the mixture firmly into the pan and allow to cool in refrigerator to set.
In a hurry? Use the freezer. In a bigger hurry? Roll 2 Tbsp worth of mixture into a ball and eat. Repeat.
Now for substitutions, allergies, and budget friendly stuff.
Sub in 1 cup dried apricots, raisins or prunes for the dates. You’ll need to add a little honey since these are not as sweet as dates.
Allergy to nuts? Add seeds. Allergy to seeds and nuts? Use shredded coconut?
Don’t like chocolate? Use half a banana to add flavor.
Coconut oil too expensive? Use 2-3 Tbsp of nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter. Allergic to nuts? Use seed butter such as sunflower seed butter.
Bulk these babies up with dark chocolate chips, cranberries or seeds. Experiment and come up with a new flavor every time!



http://www.beyondthepeel.net/2012/07/5-minute-4-ingredient-raw-protein-bars.html

Snickerdoodle Blondies

You’d never believe that one of these irresistible blondies sets you back less than 75 calories. But it’s true! Made with fiber-rich chickpeas, the cinnamon-saturated bars have a moist, fudgy texture that’s nothing short of addictive.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. (or 1 can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp. nut butter (or other fat source)
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. baking soda
Heaping 1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. ground flax
2 and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch cream of tartar and raisins (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients until very smooth, and scoop into a greased (or tinfoil-lined) 8x8 in. pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes. You want the blondies to look a little undercooked when you take them out, because they’ll firm up as they cool.

Makes 15-20 squares.
Recipe provided by Chocolate-Covered Katie

Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies

(Makes 30 cookies)

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash bananas in a large bowl, then stir in remaining ingredients. Let batter stand for approximately 20 minutes, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Freezing Directions:
Cool completely, then place cookies in a freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze.

Nutritional Information (per cookie):
47 calories; 7.5 g carbs; 1.6 g fat; 1.5 g protein; 1.3 g fiber; 1 WW PointsPlus

http://thehalfassvegetarian.tumblr.com/post/26945362400/thefinal25-skinny-chunky-monkey-cookies

100 Calorie Snacks!!!

Want a snack? Want 100 calories worth of a snack? here you go!
Sweet Treats

• 1 Whole Foods Market Two-Bite Brownie
• 1 Healthy Choice Mocha Fudge Swirl Bar
• 1 pouch Keebler Sandies Right Bites Shortbread Cookies
• 1/2 cup Sharon’s Lemon Sorbet with 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 Skinny Cow Fat Free Fudge Bar
• 1 Nestlé Butterfinger Stixx
• 12 chocolate or vanilla Miss Meringue Minis
• 5 Nabisco Nilla Wafers
• 3 Country Choice Certified Organic Ginger Snaps
• 1 Deep Chocolate Vitamuffin Vitatop
• 1 Blue Bunny FrozFruit Chunky Mango Cream Bar
• 1 pouch O’Coco’s Organic Chocolate Chrisps

Fruits & Veggies

• 2 cups raspberries
• 1 cup mango chunks
• 28 grapes
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/2 medium cantaloupe
• 15 strawberries dipped in 1/4 cup Cool Whip Lite
• 1/2 small apple with 2 teaspoons peanut butter
• 45 steamed edamame (green soybeans)
• 2 tablespoons each of mashed avocado and chopped tomatoes stuffed in 1/2 mini pita
• 1/2 red bell pepper dipped in 3 tablespoons hummus
• Salad with 3 cups lettuce, 2 scallions, and 1 small tangerine drizzled with 2 tablespoons Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

Dairy Delights

• 1 Kraft Polly-O Superlong Twist-Ums string cheese stick
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 5 strawberries
• 1 Laughing Cow Light Creamy Garlic & Herb cheese wedge and 3 Triscuits
• 1 Yoplait Light Smoothie
• 6 ounces fat-free plain yogurt topped with 1/3 cup raspberries

Savory Bites

• 20 roasted peanuts
• 60 Pepperidge Farm Baby Goldfish Crackers
• 1 Jolly Time Healthy Pop 100 Calorie Mini Bag popcorn
• 12 Back to Nature Sesame Ginger Rice Thins
• 40 Rold Gold Classic Style Pretzel Sticks
• 12 Quaker Quakes Cheddar Cheese Rice Snacks
• 20 Glenny’s Low Fat Soy Crisps
• 10 Guiltless Gourmet Baked Yellow Corn Chips with 1/4 cup salsa

Hearty Helpings

• Campbell’s Soup at Hand Blended Vegetable Medley
• 1 Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bar
• 1 hard-boiled egg with 1 slice Melba toast
• 4 slices Sara Lee Honey Ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard, rolled in lettuce leaf
• 1 slice Pepperidge Farm Raisin Cinnamon Swirl Bread with 1 tsp. light butter
• 1/2 mini bagel with 1 ounce smoked salmon
• 1 Nutri-Grain Low Fat Whole Wheat Waffle with 1 tbsp. Smucker’s Squeeze

The only thing I will add is that you want to watch your sugar intake, seriously! I try not to go over 24g of sugar a DAY and most foods have sugars in them so if you have a snack with 10+ grams of sugar that leaves little room for food and other snacks later, sugar wise at least. Going over here and there won’t hurt but cutting back on sugar is a something everyone should do.

Carob Spirulina Energy Chews (like Whole Foods)

Written by: Heather Crosby

 

I have to admit, I was never someone who was going to start the carob fan club until I discovered a little snack called “spirulina energy chunks” (at least I think that’s what they are called) in my bulk section at Whole Foods. I think I had been scarred over the years from all of the misleading “chocolate replacement” talk surrounding carob. Ordering something with carob, expecting chocolate, is shocking and disappointing. As you may know.
The only chocolate similarity is carob’s color and melt-ability. Carob has a raisin flavor, which I really like in certain instances, and this is one of them—it’s a breakthrough recipe, really.
I have always wanted to take a stab at making my own version of the “energy chunks.” These guys are similar, but I enjoy them more for their chewy texture and stronger salty sweet flavor. This recipe has made me really love carob. It’s a miracle.
Makes: approx 24, depends on size you cut them
Preparation Time: 15mins
Tools:
Large saucepan
Silicone spatula (ideal) or spoon
Glass casserole dish
Unbleached parchment paper
Ingredients:
1 10oz pack vegan carob chips
1/2 cup wild-harvested honey
1/2 tsp Celtic or pink Himalayan sea salt
1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean (look for gluten- or alcohol-free if you have a sensitivity)
1 1/2 cups of organic, crisp (not puffed) brown rice cereal (look for gluten-free if you have a sensitivity)
1/2 cup raw, sunflower seeds (soaked and dehydrated are ideal)
1/2 cup sesame seeds (toast lightly for extra flavor)
1 cup raw, organic pumpkin seeds (soaked and dehydrated are ideal)
1 cup raw, organic cashews (soaked and dehydrated are ideal)
2 tbsp spirulina crystal flakes (Nutrex is my fave brand)
1 tsp coconut oil (any oil will do)
Let’s Get Started:
Lightly grease the casserole dish with oil and line with parchment—the oil helps it stick to the glass. Make sure that you have parchment going a bit above and beyond the edge of the dish. I usually have to use two long pieces of parchment, making sure that they overlap in the middle of the pan about 2 inches. You are going to use the parchment to lift out the mixture once it cools. It’s a trick that make the removal and cutting of the treats easier. Once lined, set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt together carob chips, honey, salt and vanilla.

The mixture will be very thick and sticky.
While it melts together…

…chop up the sunflower seeds, cashews and pumpkin seeds and place in a large glass bowl.

Add spirulina, brown rice cereal, sesame seeds and toss until mixed well.

Now pour your carob mixture into the dry mixture and fold well. You may get a workout with this one.

Using the silicone spatula, press mixture into casserole pan and allow to cool to room temperature, or place in the fridge to expedite the cooling process.
Once mixture is cooled, lift your parchment paper out of the dish, set on a cutting surface and chop the chews into little squares or rectangles.

Enjoy! Share!
You can store in the pantry in an airtight glass jar, or in the fridge. Just allow to reach room temp before you eat them, they are called chews for a reason. It’s a delicious texture, you’ll see!



http://www.yumuniverse.com/2011/04/18/carob-spirulina-chews/