Lately we have been experimenting a lot in the kitchen. I am not a good baker and prefer simple recipes that also make sense to us nutritionally. After checking out a bunch of recipes for bliss balls, I decided to create one that had:
No refined sugar
Minimal sweeteners (no honey, dates etc)
Slow digesting carbs
Moderated fat
Protein boost
These would make a good breakfast or mid afternoon snack.
This recipe is essentially another way of presenting what we have for breakfast most days - a combination of oats and berries, with some protein powder and fun toppings such as nuts and seeds. We are creatures of habit and prefer snacks that closely follow our usual diet and are nutritionally controlled.
Carbs
I wanted something that was a good tummy filler, so I opted for slow digesting oats that are a part of our everyday nutrition and easy on our tummies. Berries are low in calories, GI and high in antioxidants, and also a part of our every day diet.
Fats
I did not want snack balls that were too high in fat, whether healthy or not. Thus, instead of adding the hemp seeds and coconut flakes into the processor and either 1. risk losing their taste completely since I was using such small quantities or 2. adding a lot more in order for them to stand out, I used them as a fun coating.
Protein
Since moving to a largely plant based diet, we are always on the lookout for ways to have more protein, so I included a scoop of protein for a boost. For this, I used Bob's Red Mill plant protein, vanilla flavour. It is sweetened with monkfruit which meant I didn't need to include additional sweeteners such as honey or dates. You can substitute with coconut flour or more oats + more cinnamon to taste. Blueberries have a natural sweetness so if you're used to a low/no sugar lifestyle, it won't be an issue.
To make the balls, blitz the following in a food processor:
3/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 package of fresh blueberries (125g)
1 scoop protein powder of choice (I used Bob's Red Mill vanilla)
Pinch of cinnamon
Roll into whatever sized balls you like. I rolled them to fit the little paper holders I had on hand and ended up with 7.
Lightly dust unsweetened coconut flakes and hemp seeds (I used under a tablespoon of each in total). Chill for at least an hour to firm up.
Tip: Since we typically have our oats cooked in water or soaked in almond milk, I would be sure to drink a lot of water/tea with these so it mimics the way we usually eat and fills us up.
Nutrition approximation:
544 calories. 30g protein. 93g carbs. 17g fat.
Notes: *There is nothing inherently bad about honey or dates, and we would include them if we were to design a bliss ball that was meant as a pre-workout energy snack. **I would not call these protein balls as they are mostly carbs. You can play around with oats/protein ratio as you like.