Brownie batter protein bites

(gluten-free and vegan!)

Hi guys! How’s the day going? I’ve loved reading about your fitness resolutions for the new year. Keep ’em coming! Also, now is a great time to start working on those inspiration boards. I’ll be putting the call out to link to them (or email a pic) on Wednesday and would love to feature some here on the blog. 

Our trip to Tucson was so much fun, and it was great to be surrounded with the fam and our friends. Kyle and Meg officially move out to the east coast this week! Crazypants. I’m beyond excited for them, but I will definitely miss them when we visit T-town.

Some fun Tucson adventures:

-Liv and I went with mom and nana to see Annie while the boys went golfing. The movie was FANTASTIC. I was expecting it to be meh, but it was a very modern and unique twist on the beloved classic. The music was beautiful (Jamie Foxx almost made me cry haha), and Cameron Diaz as Ms. Hannigan was hilarious. Liv is already asking to see it again. 🙂

-A glorious brunch at Prep & Pastry, which is already my new favorite Tucson brunch spot. I had the sweet potato hash with drippy eggs and a cherry rose green tea. They have French toast, pancakes, egg dishes, and craft mimosas. 

Prep

Sphash

-My cousin’s Inappropriate White Elephant party. It was amazing. For our gift, I took these cool Mason shot glasses and a funny drinking dice game. We scored a bottle of wine, espresso mug and Starbucks gift card. Those were the two tamest gifts out of the bunch haha. There was also RUM COCOA.

White elephant

Rum cocoa

Sara and I filmed the videos for this year’s Winter Shape Up! It starts January 26, so be sure to mark your calendars! Anne and I are bringing you 4 weeks of healthy eating plans and workouts to crush your spring fitness and health goals just in time for spring. I was so excited to work with Grant again, as he’s the mastermind behind the filming of Soli Beat. Hope you guys like the videos!

Wsu videos

Filming wsu

Now we’re back home in the swing of things, I taught BODYPUMP this morning (slacker here did the “Bad Company” biceps track with my real warmup weight and regretted it instantly. So hard!!), and we attempted to restock our sad veggie-deprived fridge. After eating, drinking, and being merry for the past couple of weeks, it feels good to get back into normalish eating.

Alltheproduce

We haven’t even been home for 24 hours and I’ve already had a kitchen fail. I’m making this soup for dinner tonight, and we don’t have a stock pot big enough for the whole chicken. I transferred it to the slow cooker, realized how long it would take to cook, and then threw the dang chicken in the oven. Next time, I’m just buying a rotisserie chicken haha. Fingers crossed it still turns out.

The good news is that I’ve had one awesome kitchen success, but it’s pretty foolproof: these brownie batter protein bites.

Brownie batter protein bites  1 of 1 2

Brownie batter protein bites  1 of 1 3

These are a twist on the beloved amazeballs, and taste EXACTLY like brownie batter. They’re also packed with protein, healthy fats, and energizing oats.

Brownie batter bites  1 of 1

Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give it a whirl!

 

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Brownie Batter Protein Bites

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A nutrient-dense snack that tastes just like brownie batter. Go for it.

  • Prep Time: 5
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 5 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 2 tablespoons chocolate protein powder
  • 2 tablespoons oats (for gluten-free, be sure to use certified gf oats. For grain-free, use almond meal)
  • 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (plus more as needed to texture)
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small food processor.
  2. Pulse to until all ingredients are mixed and you have a dough-like texture. Grab a little with your hand and pinch to see if it will hold together. If not, add a little more maple syrup and pulse until it reaches the right texture. (Depending on how drippy your nut butter is, you may need an extra tablespoon or so.)
  3. Separate into 5 servings, roll into balls and store covered in the fridge for up to one week.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5

Nutrition stats? Here ya go. 🙂

More of my favorite protein ball recipes:

Bliss balls

Superfood cookie dough

Original amazeballs

Peanut butter cup amazeballs

Gingerbread amazeballs

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46 Comments

  1. Ashley @ A Lady Goes West on December 29, 2014 at 3:47 pm

    Hi Gina! Can’t wait to see the new videos. And yes, after tons of indulgence last week while I was away in Florida, I’m back to healthy foods again today. I’m also back on the mic after a holiday hiatus and am teaching BODYATTACK tonight. Have a wonderful evening!

  2. Chrissy on December 29, 2014 at 4:46 pm

    I go less than warm up for that bicep track!! It’s probably the hardest one ever & the song is not inspiring in the least. Les Mills are you listening? 😉
    It always feels good to go on the healthy train after some indulgence. Happy New Year!

    • Fitnessista on December 29, 2014 at 4:59 pm

      that’s why i waited so long to use it. the song is terrible! and yes, less than warmup is happening next time. the 5kg on each side was way too heavy; i was dying haha

      • Tracy on December 30, 2014 at 1:32 pm

        I just came to comment on that song too! It is awful!!!! Our instructors thought so too, I had to sing it loud just to be funny! haha

        • Fitnessista on December 30, 2014 at 3:31 pm

          hahah it’s SO BAD. but, i’m so sick of the last biceps track (when you were young). can’t wait to launch the new one!!

  3. Katie on December 29, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    Would egg white protein powder work? I usually buy jay Robb’s egg white protein powder.

    • Fitnessista on December 29, 2014 at 10:17 pm

      i don’t think so. i’ve made amazeballs with it before, and they texture was gummy and weird :/ i love the j robb for smoothies, but it’s a little trickier for baking and snack combos

  4. lissy on December 29, 2014 at 5:07 pm

    Yay winter shape up! Need to lose these last five pounds of baby weight! Your workouts are super efficient too. Can’t wait!

    • Fitnessista on December 29, 2014 at 10:15 pm

      thank you, lissy! happy you’re joining in the fun 🙂

  5. Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious on December 29, 2014 at 5:09 pm

    Where is Prep & Pastry in Tucson? I’d like to try it next time I’m down visiting friends.

    • Fitnessista on December 29, 2014 at 10:15 pm

      grant and ft lowell. you will not regret it!

  6. Kara H. on December 29, 2014 at 5:28 pm

    Aw man! I wish I had chocolate protein powder for those protein balls. I just have lots of vanilla protein at this point. Definitely storing this one away though.

    I am so very excited about the Winter Shape Up! And I love that you combine it with Anne because her recipes are so very good and so easy! Not that I don’t love your recipe too. Can’t wait to get your HIIT book soon!

    • Fitnessista on December 29, 2014 at 10:15 pm

      it would probably still taste really good!
      happy to hear you like the WSU collab, too 🙂 anne is such an awesome partner for it! thank you so much for your support with hiit it!! xoxo

  7. Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries on December 29, 2014 at 5:39 pm

    Ooooh, that Bad Company track is killer, especially with regular warm-up weight. Sometimes I go 5 lbs lower because it’s so tough! Just depends how I’m feeling. 😉

    I’m sure it feels so nice to restock the fridge with veggies and get back into your regular groove of things. Vacation and the holidays are so nice, but it always feels good to get back home too! These brownie bites look so yummy! I love that they include everything I already have in my pantry too! Definitely plan on trying them out this week. Thanks for the recipe!! xoxo

    • Fitnessista on December 29, 2014 at 10:14 pm

      i will definitely go lower next time. it was terrible haha.
      let me know if you give the bites a try! 🙂 xoxo

  8. Erin @ Her Heartland Soul on December 29, 2014 at 6:35 pm

    I love White Elephant parties! I’m glad you had a good time.

  9. Tricia @ A Couple of Dashes on December 29, 2014 at 6:51 pm

    These brownie bites look and sound amazing! I’m guilty of eating raw cookie dough and brownie batter, so I’m hoping this can take the place of that!

    • Fitnessista on December 29, 2014 at 10:13 pm

      let me know if you try them! 🙂

  10. kristin | W [H] A T C H on December 29, 2014 at 7:05 pm

    yay for gf and vegan!

  11. Kelly on December 29, 2014 at 8:38 pm

    Today must be the day of “kitchen fails!” I also started making a soup and halfway through realized my pot wasn’t big enough. Luckily I remembered that we got new pots as a wedding gift (6 months ago) that were still in the box. I dug the box out of storage in the basement and luckily I found a larger pot inside….phew!

    • Fitnessista on December 29, 2014 at 10:12 pm

      i’m glad i’m not alone, but sorry you had a soup fail too! glad you found a bigger pot. mine still turned out great, despite having to transport the chicken around a few times haha

  12. Julie on December 30, 2014 at 1:19 am

    I got those Mason jar shot glasses too!

    I cannot wait for the new videos and Shape Up!

  13. Jesse on December 30, 2014 at 6:58 am

    Hi Gina! What size food processor do you use/recommend? I’m in the market for one (to make some amazeballs!) and want to go with a smaller, mini version to save room but want to make sure it will be functional. THANKS!

  14. carrie on December 30, 2014 at 9:48 am

    So, if all I have is vanilla sun warrior, what would you sub around to get some chocolate flavor? My instinct is to swap out 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder for a Tbsp of the oats or coconut. Thoughts? Thanks for the recipe, I think I’ll be bringing an assortment of ballz to out NYE shenanigans tomorrow!

    • Fitnessista on December 30, 2014 at 9:49 am

      i think that would definitely work! or even add the cocoa powder in addition to everything else and a little more maple syrup and/or almond butter? let me know how they turn out!

      • carrie on January 6, 2015 at 10:55 am

        Subbed out 1 tbsp cocoa powder for 1 tbsp oats for the first iteration. They were great at room temp, but a bit dry after an overnight in the fridge. However, the flavor was fantastic! I think next time I’ll compensate with a bit more nut butter and maple syrup, so I don’t up the sugar content too much. Another great ballz iteration, for sure. Thanks!

  15. Tracy on December 30, 2014 at 10:27 am

    I’ve been craving brownies…I think I’ll make these instead!

    I just got an email from Amazon with a delivery estimate for your book! (jan 6 btw) You must be so excited for it to finally be released!!! Exciting time for you 🙂

    • Fitnessista on December 30, 2014 at 3:33 pm

      wahoo!! thank you so much, tracy!

  16. Denise on December 31, 2014 at 1:54 pm

    These protein balls are delicious!! Thank you!
    I’ve always wanted the amaze balls to work out for me but my protein powder never seemed to taste good. Today I used my new powder– orgain organic protein powder. It’s delicious!!

    • Fitnessista on December 31, 2014 at 3:58 pm

      yay, so happy you like them!! what protein powder did you use? i need to make another batch already…

      • Denise on January 2, 2015 at 11:44 am

        Costco had a plant-based protein powder called “orgain organic protein powder.” I was nervous to just buy the huge tub so I did an amazon search and read really good reviews on it so I bought it and I’m so glad I did!! I’ve used sun warrior before and it made my blood pressure super high and I had heart palpitations. I’m an active, and healthy, 38 year old mom of 4 (6,4, 2 and 8 weeks) so I was baffled why I had heart issues. Dr suggested I stop that particular protein powder and I noticed everything went back to normal. I was so glad but bummed because that protein powder is delicious!! So happy I finally found a replacement!

        Side note– loooove your book!! I just got it and it’s really good!! I love it for the practical recipes, tips and ideas. Thank you for creating such a great resource!

        • Fitnessista on January 2, 2015 at 9:54 pm

          so happy to hear you’re enjoying it so far! thank you so much for ordering <3
          that's interesting to hear about the protein powder. did the doc give you any insight into why that was happening? i've noticed that my heart rate has been elevated with shakeology but i figured it was from all the extra herbs and superfoods. glad you found a protein powder you liked! i'll have to check it out next time we're at costco
          xoxo

          • Denise on January 4, 2015 at 6:59 pm

            He said companies for protein powders don’t have to list every ingredient in their product so maybe there was something listed or not listed that gave me the heart palpitations, increased HR and BP. Who knows?–but I’m happy with my Orgain so it’s fine. 😉



          • Fitnessista on January 5, 2015 at 7:46 am

            i definitely need to find it! xoxo



  17. Becky on January 5, 2015 at 7:07 am

    I just made these , using homemade dark chocolate pecan butter in place of the almond butter and they are insanely good. I was on a “superfood cookie dough” kick and only made those for weeks, but now I have a new favorite! I also just looked over other’s comments, and I am using the plant based protein powder from Costco too- and it is also a new favorite. VERY good, not chalky, no after taste.

    • Fitnessista on January 5, 2015 at 7:36 am

      yesssssss! so happy you like them!
      and i definitely need to go to costco! 🙂

  18. Maggie on January 6, 2015 at 10:36 am

    Oh man. I just made the brownie bites… and rolled them in more coconut after….!!!! SO good. thanks for the recipe!!

    • Fitnessista on January 6, 2015 at 3:06 pm

      awesome!!

  19. Lauren L. @ Newest Obsession on January 7, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    Yum, just had one of these for snack! Thanks for sharing the recipe! Easy to make and very satisfying.

    • Fitnessista on January 7, 2015 at 11:26 pm

      awesome! so thrilled you liked them 🙂

  20. Alison on January 7, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    These are ah-maz-ing! Doubled the recipe and used PB instead, and am almost out. Yum yum yum!

    • Fitnessista on January 7, 2015 at 11:21 pm

      awesome!! 🙂

  21. Hayley@healthyregardshayley on January 12, 2015 at 5:16 pm

    One of the best parts of this recipe: I already have everything in my kitchen!

  22. Cara on January 25, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    I just made these again (for the hundredth time… Obsessed!!) with vanilla espresso almond butter. Omg- whole new level!

    • Fitnessista on January 25, 2015 at 8:53 pm

      yessssss

  23. Chrissy Snyder on January 25, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    I saw this recipe tonight and thought – I have everything for this! And I was trying to stave off a sweet tooth. Well I didn’t have oats 🙁 but I did have some Iss’ Magic Mix Protein Powerhouse (http://www.oatmealcafe.com) which had oats in it so I subbed that. Seriously awesome! I love these! I can’t wait to try your other versions.

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