Schweaty Balls - "Peanut Butter Energy Balls"

Originally called "Peanut Butter Energy Balls", but in deference to the greatest SNL skit of all time, I changed the name.

I don't know where or when I got this recipe, but I've played with it for months (years?)  These balls are delicious and packed with protein *See Cook's Notes)

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup ground flax seed
2 tablespoons honey

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl . Place in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes so they are easier to roll.
Roll into balls. This recipe makes 24 balls or 8 bars

Cooks Notes:

• I double the recipe and keep them in the fridge. Also, I prefer the chipped 85% dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips.
• Bump up the protein! Add a scoop of chocolate protein powder and a scoop of water, then roll the sticky balls in chocolate protein powder to coat (maybe mixed with a little instant coffee!).
• Not sweet enough? Add a bit of your sweetener of choice.
• Don't like peanuts? Substitute almond butter!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Muffins

Sometimes I get experimental in the kitchen and start combining things that should NEVER go together and end up creating a new dish that I love - or that helps fill the trash...  Sometimes someone sends me a recipe for "Aunt Ethel's Double Dutch Chocolate Birthday Cake" or similar, and asks me if I can make it healthy - and I get lucky and make it work ( I fail more often than I succeed, but you guys never see those!).  And SOMETIMES I come across a recipe that just needs to be shared.  This one fits in the latter category.  

The recipe came from Europe - Germany I believe - and required some conversion from traditional European baking using WEIGHTS of ingredients instead of QUANTITIES.  I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of you would just close your browser and walk away if I told you to add 80 grams of ingredient XXX...  So..  I got out my scales, weighed all the ingredients and converted them to measures.  I DID add the hazelnuts, because...  HAZELNUTS!!!

These little muffins are the perfect 'grab and go' for breakfast or snacks.  They store perfectly in the refrigerator or freezer.  Oh!  and perhaps MOST importantly, they TASTE TERRIFIC!!

Modified from cleanleanbakes.com

Serves: 12 

Ingredients

3/4 cup rolled oats
3 scoops Chocolate Whey Protein (Isolate)
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth - your choice)
2 Tbsp (Sugar Equivalent) artificial sweetener
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup quark (if you can find it - otherwise see Cook's Notes)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 oz mini chocolate chips
1/2 oz chopped hazelnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F
Grease 12-cup muffin pan, set aside.
In a large bowl combine oats, whey protein powder, baking powder, and salt.
Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine peanut butter, sweetener and oil until well combined.
Add in quark and eggs, stirring gently until combined.
Add in milk, stir again until combined.

Pour wet ingredients into large bowl of dry ingredients.

Use large rubber spatula to gently combine.
Batter will be thick and wet.

(Above are the directions for how you SHOULD mix it..  Honesty here...  I just dumped it all in my Ninja blender and gave it a whirl!)

Evenly distribute batter into greased muffin pan, filling to top.
Garnish with mini chocolate chips and hazelnuts
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until middle is set.
Allow the muffins to cool in pan before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Store in airtight container in fridge or freezer for longer periods of time.

Cook's Notes:

• Quark is a German farmer's cheese made without rennet.  It's an excellent replacement for butter in scrambled eggs, cream cheese in cheesecake or served with fresh fruit.  You can often find it in tubs at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods (and other upscale markets)
• Substitutes for 'quark': fromage frais, fromage blanc or marscapone - which is richer - OR - 2 parts ricotta and 1 part sour cream
• I added the hazelnuts to the original recipe, but peanuts or almonds would work beautifully as well
• Learn from my mistake: paper muffin cups recommended

I like to eat these warmed up drizzled with extra peanut (or almond) butter.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Per Serving	% Daily Value*
Calories 109
Total Fat 6.4g	8%
Saturated Fat 3.2g	16%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 33mg	12%
Sodium 96mg	4%
Potassium 112mg	2%
Total Carb 5.7g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1.1g	4%
Sugars 0.7g
Protein 8.5g

Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies

COOKIES!!! REAL COOKIES!!! Perfect texture. Amazing taste. Simple. 

Peanut Butter Cookies

Nutritional Data per cookie:
Calories 51
Total Fat 4.3g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Cholesterol 12mg
Sodium 107mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.4g
Dietary Fiber 0.7g
Net Carbohydrates 0.7g
Protein 2.4g

1 cup sugar free natural peanut butter (READ THE LABEL!)
3 Tbsp Splenda (or to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt (if not an ingredient in the peanut butter)
1/2 cup almond flour (see Cook's Notes)
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 F

In the bowl of your mixer add peanut butter, Splenda and villa extract. Mix to combine.
Add egg. Mix again and scrape down sides of the bowl
Add salt, flour and baking soda. Mix thoroughly.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough and roll into 3/4" balls
Pat out cookies and press with fork (to make the pretty cross-hatch design)

Bake approximately 10 minutes until cookies are crisp.

Cook's Notes: There are a several possible substitutes for the almond flour. Peanut flour works well if you can find it. Golden Flax meal makes an excellent cookie. Coconut flour works well but you need to add a bit of oil or butter to get the correct texture.
Add cocoa powder and a pinch more salt to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Flax Meal Peanut Butter Hot Cereal

Do you really want that bowl of oatmeal for breakfast but just can't justify the carbs? Try flax meal instead. It prepares instantly and tastes delicious. If you've ever eaten a MIAM (Muffin in a Minute) you know how tasty flax meal can be.

If you are not used to a lot of fiber, you may not want to start with a whole recipe of this. It is almost 13 grams of fiber, and over half of that is soluble, which is good for you, but it's a lot at once. That said, it's yummy, low-carb, quick to make, and will see you through the morning!


Flax Meal Peanut Butter Hot Cereal

Nutritional Values for full recipe:
Calories 397
Total Fat 32.5g
Saturated Fat 4.8g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 162mg
Total Carbohydrates 17.9g
Dietary Fiber 12.8g
Effective Carbohydrates 5.1g
Sugars 3.6g
Protein 15.1g



1/4 Cup flax seed meal
1/2 Cup boiling water
2 Tbsp peanut butter (or any nut butter)
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Note that a half recipe would be 2 Tbsp flax meal, 1/4 Cup water, and 1 Tbsp peanut butter.

Pour boiling water over flax seed meal and stir well.
Stir in peanut butter and cinnamon.
Let thicken for 1 to 2 minutes.
Eat

Serves 1 to 2

Cook's Note: I make my own nut butters in my magic Bullet, so that keeps the sugars REALLY low. Toss in a few berries of your choice or other tasty add-ins to round out your favorite flavor profiles. (Chocolate protein powder makes a great addition!