Protein Chocolate Peppermint Energy Balls are the perfect pre-workout or snack! Packed with protein, carbs, & fats from healthy ingredients but taste like a decadent treat!
This post is sponsored in partnership with Vital Proteins. All opinions expressed (as always) are my own. I only partner with brands I trust and personally recommend – thank you for your support in helping make Eat the Gains possible!
Make sure to check out the video to see how easy it comes together!
With all the cookies, candies, fudge, and other holiday desserts swarming around you this time of year, it’s a little hard not to indulge. While I’m all about balance and enjoying the things you love in moderation, sometimes the moderation thing is hard to remember when there are cookies every direction you turn.
That’s why I’m bringing you a healthy holiday treat that you can enjoy and still feel your best. To be honest, these were made as a pre-workout snack, but they are so good I get them as dessert too! I know around this time of year people’s motivation to get to the gym tends to disappear (myself included). Our schedules are packed with holiday parties and get-togethers, people are constantly traveling, and in most places the temperatures are slowly dropping.
I literally don’t like going leaving my house when it’s cold out.
Well these chocolate peppermint energy balls will get you right back on track. I look forward to them all day knowing I’ll have one or two before I head to my workout! They have a great balance of fast acting carbs, protein, and a little healthy fat to keep you satisfied during your workouts. Working out when you are hungry is the absolute worst.
I used Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides to up the protein in them. I love how the taste is so neutral and it will dissolve in just about anything. Protein is key before and after workouts to make sure you are helping increase protein synthesis while inhibiting protein breakdown. And collagen also has numerous other benefits as well. Let’s breakdown these energy balls:
carbs – dates
protein – Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
healthy fats – coconut
antioxidants – cacao
electrolytes – sea salt
The dates combined with the coconut butter make the consistency of these perfect – slightly chewy while being a little dense, but fudgy. Store them in the fridge and they should last a few weeks (if you have stellar self control). I love putting them in the freezer and eating them straight from there too. If you don’t like to eat before you workout or maybe working out isn’t your thing, you can make these for meal prep to have throughout the week as a nice sweet treat!
Check out the video to see how easy they come together!
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- 1 cup pitted dates (about 18 dates/120 grams)
- 2 servings Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (4 scoops)
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- 3 tablespoons coconut butter
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1-2 tablespoons water
- pinch of sea salt
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut for rolling
- Place the dates in a food processor or high speed blender and pulse a few times until broken down into pieces. Add collagen, cacao, coconut butter, peppermint extract, 1 tablespoons water, and sea salt and blend until smooth and a ball of "dough" forms. If it's too dry, add a bit more water.
- Using a tablespoon, roll into ball form and then roll in shredded coconut for coating.
- Store in the fridge or freezer and enjoy!
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These look totally amazing!! I love all things chocolate/peppermint this time of year!
Thanks Stacey! The combo is so good, I hope you give them a try!