Lemon and Chia Raw Protein Ballz

I have been seeing recipes for various protein 'bites' and 'balls' everywhere lately, and I have been wanting to make some... but they always seem to call for ingredients that I don't have.  Things like coconut flour, or brown rice syrup.

I decided to try coming up with one of my own and got out some ingredients I thought might go together, and started mixing.  The Captain loved them, so I would say they were a success. They didn't last very long... and, it didn't hurt that I used lemon for flavoring as he really is a fan of the tart yellow fruit!  The zest from the lemon peel adds a lot of flavor so do try to use some here.

I used the healthiest ingredients I could find in the larder, and my goal was to come up with a high protein, raw, tasty, healthy, stick-to-your-ribs 'cookie'.  And I can vouch for the fact that eating one really did keep me satisfied a lot longer than a similar calorie count in a sugary cookie would have done.  The combination of protein and healthy fat in these balls is very satisfying.

This is my first attempt at one of these raw 'balls' recipes... but now that I know how easy it is to put together, I will be experimenting a lot more.

If you don't have almond meal or oat flour, you can grind almonds and oats yourself in your food processor.  Yes, almond meal is high in fat, but it is good healthy fat, and it takes the place of a gluten-laden flour which more and more of my friends and family are trying to avoid these days.

I used NeoCell Collagen Sport Whey French Vanilla protein powder in this recipe.  It has a whopping 30 grams of protein in each 1/4 cup scoop and no added sugar.  You could sub another powder if you like, and adjust the amount of  Stevia according to the amount of sugar in it.  Here is how I made them.

Lemon and Chia Raw Protein Ballz
Makes 9 balls *

• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup (one scoop) vanilla protein powder
• 1/16 tsp Stevia
• Dash of salt
• 1Tbs chia seeds
• Zest from one small lemon
• 2 Tbs coconut oil, melted
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 scant Tbs coconut milk

1. Mix the dry ingredients, including the lemon zest altogether in a small bowl.
2. If your coconut oil is solid, melt it in the microwave oven in a small bowl, then drizzle the lemon juice and coconut milk into it slowly so that these ingredients don't cause clumping in the oil if they are cold.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
4. Form 9 balls with your hands and place them on a plate.
5. Put the plate into the fridge for about half an hour, or the freezer for about 8 to 10 minutes, so that the balls will get more solid as the coconut oil in them solidifies.
6. Store them in the fridge or freezer.

Per serving of one ball.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 90; Protein 6g; Carbohydrate 4g; Fat 7g; Fibre 2g.

*
I scooped the dough out of the bowl with a tablespoon  so I ended up making 9 balls. If you make 10 instead of 9, they are only 2P+ each and the N.I. is as follows:  Calories 81; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 3g; Fat 7g; Fibre 2g.

Mix dry ingredients together.

I added the chia seeds last because I originally thought I might just roll the ball in them, but I realized the mixture was too wet.  I suggest you just add them to the dry ingredients.

Ready to nibble... and enjoy!

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