Perfectly Protein-Packed Snacks!
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Nothing gets me started for the day like a protein-punch for breakfast, but that’s not to say I’m not hankering for something sweet later on! In order to ensure I’m having the healthiest snack while also satisfying my cravings, I make these pop-able balls of peanut butter and banana! I can guarantee my body gets the good stuff it needs while I scratch that sweet-and-salty itch with peace of mind.
Whether it’s a grab-and-go no-bake breakfast or a quick snack after a trip to the gym, peanut butter and banana protein balls are my fast fix for fitness and flavor.
You can make these peanut butter banana balls in a jiffy (pun partially intended) and serve them up any time, be it for a quick bite before you leave for work or to feed hungry young after-school mouths without spoiling a supper appetite. Fun and easy enough to make that the whole family can get involved, protein balls come in all sorts of flavors and makes – take a look at our coconut rum raisin and chai spice variants!
Are Peanut Butter Banana Protein Balls Healthy?
Not only are peanut butter banana protein balls one of the healthiest (yet tastiest) snack options, they’re incredibly versatile! If peanut butter doesn’t meet your allergy needs, you can substitute it for almost any other kind of nut butter you prefer! If you want a different fruity pallet that’s vegan and delicious, try apricot variants offered by FoodFaithFitness~ The possibilities are almost endless and many of the substitutions you can try out don’t sacrifice the healthy integrity of this vegetarian, keto-friendly snack!
Easy and healthy? Is that even possible?!
Protein balls have soared in popularity lately and with ingredients like chocolate chips and peanut butter, you might be convinced you’re making a decadent dessert every time your roll one up; however, protein balls have become so popular because of their dietary flexibility and easy-breezy assembly. The foundation for most protein balls is pitted dates, lending their own healthy, sweetened binding to any loose ingredients once they’re blended. Roll it up with your ingredients and chill! That’s seriously all it takes!
The possibilities from there are endless! You can add chia seeds and rolled oats (like we did in this recipe) for added fiber content! You can use nut butters for their protein power! You can even add fruits like banana or berries for vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant benefits! By the time you’ve added chocolate chips to your own protein balls, there’s so much goodness inside that you won’t even worry about a morsel of indulgence!
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup Peanut Butter
- 1 ripe Banana
- 1 ½ cups Rolled Oats
- ¼ cup Coconut Flakes
- 6 Medjool Dates pitted
- ½ tsp ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- 2 Tbsp flax meal
- 1 pinch Salt
- ¼ cup Chocolate Chips
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Add all of the ingredients into the bowl of your food processor.
Blend
Blend the ingredients until it is smooth and comes together.
Sculpt
Form the mix into 15 balls and roll them until they are nice and compact. Chill to retain shape for longer.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
Peanut butter banana protein balls are easy to make, so easy that they can be made in the morning and stored in the fridge for snacks throughout the week! Chilling your protein balls helps keep them fresh and shapely for up to seven days – if they’ll even last that long before being eaten!
Dates serve as a primary binding ingredient in most protein balls; however, if you don’t have dates on hand, there’s no need to worry! Peanut butter serves as a pretty handy binding ingredient on its own and, with a bit of honey, you can get that tacky consistency you need to form your protein balls!
Don’t worry! Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and natural sweetness; but they aren’t the only one! The coconut flakes in this recipe are also a great source of potassium and, if need be, you can skip banana altogether – or go with pumpkin puree or sweet potato for some subtle sweet!
There’s no need to panic! Peanut butter pairs really well with bananas (just ask Elvis!) but that’s not the only nut butter that tastes great in protein balls! If ever you don’t have nut butter on hand, you can always make it at home with whatever nuts or seeds you have. Just roast them in the oven to get their skins off, and put them in the food processor for 10-15 minutes!
Substituting any (or all) of the key ingredients to this recipe is always an option if your dietary or allergy needs demand it; however, a mixture made of honey, puree, and homemade nut butter should have the same consistency as the original recipe so you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. If your protein balls are too dry, they may need some more honey to bind the ingredients. If your protein balls are too loose, try adding more of the dry ingredients like oats and chia seeds to congeal it.
Serving Suggestions
Peanut butter banana protein balls are easily the one-bite, one-serving meal option for any breakfast, snack, or anytime healthy treat. As such, I recommend pairing them with freshly blended smoothies. If you have leftover ripe bananas, might I recommend a simple banana smoothie! If you have some peanut butter craving to kick, try a keto-friendly low carb peanut butter smoothie! Got a bit of both and want a perfect pair for peanut butter banana protein balls? Give them both a blend for a smoothie with peanut butter and banana~
Peanut Butter Banana Protein Balls
Ingredients
- ½ cup Peanut Butter
- 1 ripe Banana
- 1 ½ cups Rolled Oats
- ¼ cup Coconut Flakes
- 6 Medjool Dates pitted
- ½ tsp ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- 2 Tbsp flax meal
- 1 pinch Salt
- ¼ cup Chocolate Chips
Instructions
-
Add all of the ingredients into the bowl of your food processor.
-
Blend the ingredients until it is smooth and come together.
-
Form the mix into 15 balls and roll them until they are nice and compact.
Nutrition
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