SUGAR FREE COOKIE DOUGH PROTEIN BALLS

I'm always on the hunt for a quick, high protein snack after a workout that's easy to make and carry around. Lots of protein bars on the market these days look delicious but contain loads of weird ingredients that I can't even pronounce, let alone know what they are or what they're doing to my body.

Whilst I'm a big fan of making my own energy balls using sticky, gooey dates - they are quite high sugar. So I wanted to create a snack that is high in protein, low in sugar and provides plenty of nutrition that will help repair muscle tissue after a workout.

These little cookie dough balls contain zero sugar and because of the high protein content, they keep you feeling full for longer!

The ingredient I've used to sweeten these dough balls is stevia. Stevia is a super sweet plant, extracted from the leaves of the plant species 'stevia rebaudiana' and is often used as a sugar substitute. It contains zero carbs, sugar, calories or artificial ingredients and doesn't have the harmful effects on your body that sugar can have. Make sure you use a brand that contains 100% stevia only - some brands mix with other ingredients, which are often as harmful as sugar! 

Stevia is great alternative to sugar for diabetics or for those following specific diets, such as the Candida diet, as it doesn't spike your blood sugar levels. A little bit really does go along way with this stuff though as it's a lot sweeter than normal sugar, so play around with it in your recipes to find the right quantity for your taste buds! 

Alternatively, if you don't have stevia stocked in your cupboard and you are able to tolerate a little sugar in your diet, you can add some organic honey or maple syrup to the mix! The diversity of this recipe allows you to add certain ingredients that works for you and your body. 

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. protein powder - I used plain pea protein however vanilla / chocolate flavoured protein powder will also work
3 tbsp. coconut flour
3 tbsp. almond butter - or any other nut butter
2 tbsp. nut milk - I used Plenish almond milk
1 tbsp. maca powder
1 tbsp. gf vanilla essence / powder
3 tbsp raw cacao nibs
1/2 - 1 tsp. stevia powder - alter to own taste or 2 tbsp. organic honey / maple syrup

Method:

Combine the protein powder, coconut flour, maca powder, vanilla essence and stevia in a bowl.

Add in the almond butter and almond milk and fold in the cacao nibs. Gently stir together to make a sticky dough. If the mix is too dry, add a little more almond milk.

Roll the dough into little balls and place in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to chill.