Hi friends! How are you? I am blown away by all of the amazing comments and emails on the Winter Shape Up! Keep rocking it out 
(Holler to my friend Mara who made the widget for the WSU on the left-hand side of the blog- you can click it to get to this week’s meals and workout plan)
Some Mexican skeletons to start the day 
So last night, I wanted a little snack before dance but didn’t know what to make. Something small (dancing on a full belly is a little rough) with a decent amount of protein, something dessert-y, not too high in fats.. and then it dawned on me:
BALLZ!
I remembered seeing a recipe for protein balls on the BodyRock website—here’s my version:
Chocolate Chip Protein Ballz
Adapted from Shweddy Balls
-2 T vanilla or chocolate protein powder of choice
-2 T of almond butter (drippy almond butter works best)
-2 T shredded unsweetened coconut
-1 T pure maple syrup (honey or brown rice syrup would work too)
-pinch of sea salt, Stevia and cinnamon
1. In a small food processor, add the protein, almond butter, coconut and pulse until the ingredients are well incorporated
2. Add the cinnamon, sea salt, Stevia and sweetener (maple syrup or whatever you decide to use) and pulse again- the mixture will start to clump together. It wants to be made into balls!
Not quite, though.
3. Add in 1 square of extra dark chocolate (break it apart with your hands), or whatever mix-ins you’d like to use. Dried berries would be delicious, too. Pulse together one more time to finely chop the chocolate, and assess the situation to see if you’ll need more liquid sweetener for the balls to stick together.
4. Roll mixture into 4 balls with your hands.
Save in a ziploc baggie and munch for the perfect pre or post workout snack.
Check out the stats on these babies!!!
Amazing and SO DELICIOUS. They taste like cookie dough balls, I kid you not. Make these ASAP, mmm k?
For breakfast this morning, since I still had ballz and cookie dough on the brain, I had an old fave:
+ my daily green juice
(Current fave combo: 1 cucumber, 1 green apple, 1 stalk of romaine, 1/2 lemon, lil Stevia)
I’m off to do the workout thang Have a great day and I’ll see you laterrrrrrrr.
xoxo
Gina
What’s your pre and post workout fuel of choice?
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Hahaha Your post titles always crack me up! These look super easy to make (a plus in my world!) and tasty too. I’ll have to give them a try!
I typically reach for a Larabar as preworkout fuel. Not too heavy on the stomach yet filling and pack a helpful punch of energy.
Those protein balls sound amazing!! I love munching on a banana post workout!
My favorite pre work out snack? To be honest, a piece of candy
That sugar gives me a boost, plus it’s super easy to grab while I’m waiting for the baby to fall asleep. I try to eat healthier stuff post workout, if that makes it better!
I’m a big fan of oats for breakfast, if Im’ working about an hour or two afterwards. They seem to give me the right kind of energy. After a really long workout, I like to keep things simple, but make something as healthy as possible. Even if its mealtime, I tend to try and eat sort of light after a workout, cause my stomach is a little sensitive. Even after a long running race, I’m rarely eating at the free food tents. A nice simple sandwich of tuna or turkey with tomatoes usually does the trick.
those look delicious!!!! yum, will have to try out tonight
Those protein balls sure looks yummy! I love green monsters post workout
I usually keep it simple and light for pre – either nuts, slice of bread or plain ol’ fruits.
Oh, you’ve set yourself up for some pretty awesome comments, my friend.
Those ballz look delicious. Baha
The word “widget” makes me LOL every time
I am still drooling over your intense grosh haul from yesterday!! The painsss of living in a big city with no car= only buying what I can carry home :/ laaamesauce!
My cravings totally depend on the workout, but after B-pump,i seriously feel like I could eat a dozen eggs..haha so I usually go for something high-protein like an egg pita, and maybe a carrot or 3
ps the Alec Baldwin schweddy balls SNL skit- maybe the funniest of all time!?
Pre-workout I like a lot of healthy carbs, to keep me full but energized. Post-workout I love a good protein-filled smoothie!!
xo
Fabulous snack idea!
ballz are bookmarked! can you taste the protein powder? i still can’t find one i like. i’m trying to juice every day too…at least a few oranges with breakfast, and ideally a green juice too!
you have to try sun warrior- it will change your life
I love that these can be made so quickly so that I can dig in right away! I hate having to wait for cookies and muffins to bake in the oven.
My pre-workout fuel is usually my lunch and my favourite post workout snack is Greek yogurt + berries + a bit of granola. I’ve always famished after a workout!
Who doesn’t want a little snail pie post sweat-sesh?
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11/giant-snail-pies-feed-malnourished-africa.php
Amazeballs.
The balls sound awesome. And I love the alec baldwin-SNL reference of schweddy balls. haha
Lately, my after workout snack has been a green monster or just almond milk and protein powder.
I love, love, looooove BodyRock.tv
very inspirational:) i’m actually EXCITED to work-out because it’s a personal challenge as opposed to ‘have I exercised 3x this week yet? I should exercise today…’ And since they change it up everyday, you never get bored! Awesome, I tell you.
I also love BodyRock.tv. Zuzana is amazing!
i kind of have a girl crush on her
Usually a smoothie with milk, frozen fruit & protein powder after a workout. Those /are/ amazeballs (and they work well as a small dessert, as I’ve just proven). They were really quick and easy-peasy to make, thank you!
WHOA…these protein ballz are SERIOUSLY, DANGEROUSLY delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe! (Also, for those on Weight Watchers, they are 4 points.)
Wow! I just came across your site today and am so impressed. I tried these amazeballs and they are so delicious. Thanks so much for sharing and I look forward to diving into your website even more. Thanks!!!
so glad you liked them!
Just made the protein balls. WHOA! Love them! Could have eaten the whole mix in the bowl, but decided to go ahead and roll them into balls. Thanks, Gina!
yummmm! i’ve been eating at least one a day
glad you enjoy them!
Hi Gina,
I am an avid reader of your blog. In fact, you inspired me to start a healthy blog myself. I just made the amazeballs (with Sun Warrior protein powder) and I am HOOKED. These things are amazing! Thanks for the idea!
wahoo!!! i’m officially obsessed with them
Those amazeballs look yummy! What website do you use to find out the nutrition for a recipe?
Hi Gina,
I noticed that these were called “chocolate chip” protein balls, but didn’t see chocolate chips in the recipe. The balls look like they may have some chocolatey goodness in them. Did you leave that out of the recipe? If so, what’s the measurement on the chips?
it’s towards the end of the recipe– i added a square of dark chocolate into the food processor
Ah, I should have read below the pics. I got distracted by the deliciousness. Can’t wait to make them! Think I could whip them up in the Vita?
Omg! I just made these and they are amazing! Perfect for keeping my sweet tooth happy!
Gina, I just wanted to say that I have been making your amazaballz this week and they are truly amazing! Amazingly delicious that is!!
I used vanilla brown rice protein powder and brown rice syrup and they worked perfectly! I have also tried making them using 1/2 tbsp ground flax + 1 tbsp water (like a modified “flax egg”) in place of the syrup and then adding a few drops of stevia to sweeten and they turned out good too!
And I believe these would be good with cashew butter instead of the almond butter (which I love) since you are giving up the ab for lent. Let us know if you try with different nut butters.
Thanks for sharing!!
Ana
i’m so glad you like them! i definitely plan on making some tonight with cashew butter
xoxo
Love these ballz.
I saw them a couple of weeks ago while reading your blog – which I also love! Yesterday I finally decided – that’s it I need a healthy snack that’s easy and fast to make with simple ingredients. so I made them and I am in love – made them again today. This is my new addiction – can I have them everyday??
for sure- thats what i do
welcome to the ball obsession
Finally ordered some Sun WArrior Protein (iHerb ships to Germany, YAY!) and made those protein ballz …. and dare I say, you saved my study period for the final legal clerkship exams!
YUMMY!
I love your blog! Any suggestions for coconut substitutions in the amazballs?
Thanks!!
i just whipped these together for snacking on during my upcoming backcountry ski trip! and of course, i had to sample a bit. they’re delicious and they are going to be perfect for apres ski
. i cut the maple syrup back to 1/2 Tbs because I don’t like things very sweet.
YUMMY. Finally got a chance to whip these up today. They totally deserve the title of AMAZEballz!! Thanks for all of your fabulous recipes and information. I am a horrible commenter, but visit your blog daily. THANKS!!!
wahoo! glad you enjoyed and thank you so much for reading
xoxo
I just made these. Quadrupled the recipe!
…amazing, these are genius. Also, I halved the recipe and one half I made your way and the other half I added oats and more maple syrup<<<portable breakfast cookie dough cereal!!! Ahhhhmazingggg!
awesome!!!
I am kicking myself for not making these before now! So good! I’m lucky that I realized I was down to my last few tablespoons of both protein powder and almond butter today!
I just ate an amazeball that I made a few days ago. ITS SO SO SO SO GOOD!
The only thing is, I think mine came out quite a bit smaller than yours. Any idea why this may be?
i’m just generous with my ballz i guess? haha
Hey Gina- I just made these today, and I’m pretty sure my eyes rolled into the back of my head while eating them- they are THAT good!
Thanks for the recipe- love your blog!
-Julie
I can’t wait to get some protein powder and try these babies!! They look deeeelicious! Thanks so much for sharing (:
they are delicious! The first time i followed the recipe they were a little too wet….added some rolled oats…
i just made these for the first time. why did i wait so long?! SO SO good!! perfect lil snack for after a run
Just found your blog today & LOVE it! Did you juice or blend your green juice?? I recently bought a Vitamix & have green juiced the hell out of it (made with plenty of fruit & 1-2 greens) & now after 3 weeks of daily smoothies I have noticed that I have gotten a little layer of fat on my stomach – so now my Vitamix is collecting dust! I want to start drinking just greens but they taste HORRIBLE the way I have made them & truthfully I am too busy to really research this right now – your concoction looked realy good & I am wondering if it was a juice or a smoothie…thanks!
welcome to the little blog!
i make the green juices in the juicer because otherwise it’s way too much fiber for me. love the vitamix for smoothies, though! try a cup and a half of milk, half a banana, a scoop of protein powder, some frozen berries, 1 T cocoa powder, some sweetener and a handful of spinach in the vitamix
What would be a good substitute for the coconut? I’m hoping to make these tonight. I made your protein pancakes last night and they were amazing and very filling.
try oats
I literally just made these in less than 5 minutes! EASIEST recipe possible!This will definitely help when I’m having dessert cravings, thanks a lot
awesome!
GINA!!!
HOLY AMAZEBALLS! These snacks truly live up to their name. Super quick and super delicious! They are now in my repitore of healthy snacks, awesome!
Do they need to be refrigerated if I don’t eat them all in a day?
xoxo
Ok, Gina, I finally made these and I am OBSESSED. These are delicious! Thank you so much for sharing. What a perfect snack.
I finally made these and they are so delicious! I would have added chocolate, but I gave it up for Lent, so instead I added some dried blueberries and cherries, along with some goji berries, and they are so great. I actually made them to take with me on a trip so I just had a little taste, and I’m going to do everything I can not to demolish them before I leave on Saturday
Can’t wait to try out your new flavor combos, too!
awesome!
xoxo
Great blog!! How do you do the calculations that you show for the recipes? What program are you using?
Thanks!!
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