This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
This protein bites recipe is grain free, gluten free, and vegan friendly! Dark chocolate cocoa Reese’s protein bites are a superfood snack that’s delicious, protein packed, and a no bake snack recipe! Real food ingredients that taste REAL GOOD!
Ya, it’s Healthy No Bake Bites Day! It’s kind of my favorite day of the month. I get to share what’s I’ve been “biting” on this month and makingwith my local orders. This month’s flavor hasme SUPER excited because it’s chocolate, it’s grain free, and it’s GOOD for gut health! Come on, you didn’t think I’d just post a recipe without explaining some nutrition magic behind it, did you? Ha!
So let’s talk about the “magic” ingredient and then we shall get to the no bake protein bites recipe. Sound good?
Hang with me, you’ll love where I’m going with this!
Cocoa. It’s the raw form of chocolate. But there’s so much more to it these days, other than it’s just plain tasty.
Actually, new research has found that this SUPER FOOD can actually FEED our gut flora. Remember? I mentioned it in this post.
Okay, cool. But how does cocoa actually help our gut? Well, it’s all about the compounds!
Cocoa powder is rich in two flavanol compounds, catechin and epicatechin, along with a small amount of dietary fiber. Both flavanol compounds are poorly digested and absorbed, however, good gut bacteria begins to gobble them up as soon as they enter the colon. source
You see, what they (researchers) have discovered isthat the good bacteriain our bodies (i.eBifidobacterium) can actually helpbreak down the cocoa solids we cannot on our own digest, which in return will ferment it. You know what that means? It means cocoa is similar to a prebiotic! Prebiotics are fermented fibers that absorbed in the body and have tremendous anti-inflammatory properties!
So to summarize –> Raw chocolate has flavonols and fiber which are hard to break down. So they ferment in the intestines. But then our good bacteria likes it and eats it. Good bacteria gets fed, immunity get’s a major boost and so do our vital organs! WIN WIN!
Are you bored yet? haha. Okay, I will get to the recipe. And just so you know, Imade the recipe inseveral different “allergy friendly” forms. So you can make it vegan, paleo(ish), or even nut free if you use different flour/sunflower seed butter. I will give you suggestions for each ingredient you can sub!
ENJOY this protein bites recipe!
Grain Free Reese’s Protein Bites
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
5 from 3 reviews
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 25 1x
Description
Grain Free Reese’s Protein Bites
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup peanut flour (coconut, almond, or chickpea flour will work too!)
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter (we use nuts n more chocolate peanut butter)
- 1 cup Vanilla or Chocolate Protein Powder (whey or vegan)
- ⅓ cup agave or honey
- ½ tsp Butter Extract
- ½ tsp natural caramel extract (makes taste it more like reeses taste!)
- Optional- for more crunchy texture, add in 3 tablespoon chopped nuts or dark chocolate chips!
- Optional add in -> 2-3 tablespoon dark chocolate syrup if or sauce.
Instructions
- In large bowl, add in all your dry ingredients.
- Then mix in your nut butters, extracts, and last the honey.
- Mix well ( I use my hands) and roll into bite size balls.
- NOTE: Add more protein if batter is too runny. Add more nut butter or honey if it’s too dry. Just depends on the type of nut butters you use and the oil in it.
- Makes about 24-26 balls.
- Feel free to roll into larger bites, or smaller to make more. Freeze or keep in refrigerator to maintain freshness
- If you want to reduce sugar, take out ¼ cup honey and replace with sugar free chocolate syrup, like NuNaturals.
- If you are wanting paleo friendly, just use almond or sunflower seed butter along with coconut flour!
Notes
For natural extracts, check out olive nation, which are also on amazon.
- Prep Time: 10 min
As you can see, there is another secret ingredient to these delicious bites. Um.. ya, look below.
That’s some creamy protein packed low sugar goodness of a nut butter, or NUTS n MORE! They boost their nut butters with a little protein and keep it low sugar while their add it. They are the small biz that got their big break on Shark Tank, remember that? So cool!
What’s your favorite thing to eat with dark chocolate?
[Tweet ”Healthy Dark Chocolate Reeses #Protein Bites that are #grainfree! YUM! #fitfluential #glutenfree”]
- Facebook! Click hereCotter CrunchFB
- Email-[emailprotected]
- Bloglovin-Cotter Crunch
