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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Happy Easter to You!

Every Easter, no matter where we are, I hardboil and then color, a dozen eggs for The Captain.  I have done them every year since were first together.  One year we were in Edmonton over Easter weekend, staying and shopping at West Edmonton Mall.  On Easter Sunday morning he was so surprised that I had done the eggs at home, in secret, and brought them along on our trip.

Yesterday I hardboiled the eggs and after they cooled, I put them in the fridge...

 tomorrow I will be coloring them, using the same method I use every year.

Eggs are such a high protein food and at only 2P+ each, a real bargain in Weight Watchers 'speak'.

Do you color eggs?  Do you have other Easter Traditions at your house?

My older sister is a very creative artist.  She used to make these beautiful sugar eggs and I had one on display in our home for years.  When we left our house and moved onto the boat, I gave it to a friend of mine... wonder if she still has it.

from www.sugareggs.com

However you celebrate Easter, I hope it is happy and sunny!

Cranberry Apricot Pork Tenderloin in the Crock Pot

On Friday I shared my favorite Cranberry Sauce recipe.... and today I am giving you a recipe that uses it.  A Weight Watchers buddy gave me this recipe long ago and I had never tried it.  I don't normally have dried apricots on hand. 

I am so glad that I remedied that!  It is absolutely wonderful... the sauce is spicy and a bit sweet, and it really goes nicely with the pork.  It is from the Weight Watchers Slow Good Super Slow-Cooker Cookbook.

I served it with rice and steamed carrots... I am sure potatoes would be nice instead of the rice if you prefer them.

The recipe suggests cutting the cooked pork into 16 slices but we thought they would fall apart if we tried to cut them that thin, so The Captain did 12 thicker slices instead.  I added orange zest to the ingredients that went into the slow cooker, and then more at the end before serving.  And, I had some home made cranberry sauce in the freezer, leftover from Christmas, so I let it thaw and used it in this dish.

I am sharing the recipe as it appears in the book, using the WW nutritional information to calculate P+ values as well.

Cranberry Apricot Pork Tenderloin

Makes 4 servings  

• 1 lb pork tenderloin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup canned cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup sliced dried apricots
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1. Sprinkle the pork with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning frequently, until browned, about 6 minutes.  
2. Transfer the pork to a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Combine the cranberry sauce, apricots, cornstarch, cinnamon, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; pour over the pork, turning to coat. Cover and cook until the pork is fork-tender, 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.  
3. Transfer the pork to a cutting board; cut into 16 slices. Stir the orange zest into the fruit sauce and serve with pork.

Per serving (4 slices pork with about 1/4 cup sauce).

Weight Watchers P+ = 8.

Calories 295;  Protein 23g; Carbohydrate 40g; Fat 5g; Fibre 2g.

Note: 

My own cranberry sauce is sugar free so if you use it instead of a commercial product that containes sugar, the P+ values will be reduced, probably by at least 2.

Add salt and pepper to pork and set in the pan of heated oil.

Turn frequently till browned all over.

Combine sauce ingredients...

and pour over pork in crock pot.

Enjoy with rice and vegetables.

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