Peanut Butter Protein Balls

I've recently started making protein snacks to fill the gap when I get the munchies, without having to reach for cheese, nuts & tuna every time! My favourite snacks are Peanut Butter Protein balls, but experimenting with these has led me to a couple of variations: Peanut Butter Kiwi Protein Bars & Almond Butter Protein Balls.

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Ingredients (makes 14)
250g Chunky Peanut Butter (preferably organic as it contains more protein, be careful not to buy low-fat varieties as they are loaded with sugars!)
100g Chocolate flavoured Diet Whey Protein Powder (or your choice of protein powder & flavour - non diet ones will increase the amount of carbs)
25ml Semi-Skimmed Milk (approx)
25ml Water (approx)

Note: You may need more, or less, fluids depending on the quality of your protein powder and how fatty & oily your peanut butter is. You are aiming to make a firm, slightly squishy, dough that has a smooth texture.

Method
Place the Peanut Butter in a bowl and add the protein powder. Using a spoon mix together thoroughly until the mixture creates large clumps, a little like making a dough. Gradually add the milk & water, mixing thoroughly until the mixture starts to come together in one solid, yet smooth, dough. Please don't leave out the fluids or your protein balls will have a dry texture inside and will be hard to eat, trust me this is the voice of experience!

Using your hands gently kneed the dough and ensure that there are no stray pieces in the bowl. Gently break the dough into 14 roughly equal sized pieced and roll between your hands to make small balls. If you want to, you can then coat these with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, drinking chocolate powder, or anything else that takes your fancy. Place in an airtight container and put in the fridge for half an hour. You can split the balls into two containers and freeze one if you wish.

Eat as a replacement for a sweet, chocolatey, snack or an hour before a workout to give you a protein & fat boost. For me these are great as the taste is chocolatey & peanuty and kills any cravings for my favourite chocolate bar: Snickers!

Nutritional Information - per protein ball

Fat: 9.52g (2g Saturated)
Carbs: 3g (Fibre: 1.8g; Net Carbs: 1.2g)
Protein: 10.91g

Calories: 146