Pecan & Cashew Protein Balls

Yesterday I had a day out at the Ideal Home Exhibition. I have to admit that it was the first time I have been and it was a big disappointment. I am not really sure why I decided to go but it just left me feeling “Is that it?”. I think I was slightly expecting to get loads of little bits for interior design and so some really pretty accessories and tableware, things I could use in my photos but there was literally nothing like that there.

On top of that I went out for dinner with my brother which was nice as we don’t get that much time to catch up. We decided to go to Mem&Laz on Theberton street which is probably best described as a European restaurant. This is the first time I have been out to eat as a vegan and it was much harder than I thought it would be. There was this lovely big menu and loads of choices for vegetarian and I went through everything in the main courses and they all had cheese or cream in them.

In the end I went for 2 starters, which is good as I can’t deal with the big portions they give so starter size is definitely best. I started with their soup of the day which was a really lovely lentil soup. That is always a good choice anywhere you go as it is usually one of the freshest things on the menu. For my main I had diced and fried aubergine which came with a tasty pepper and tomato sauce. It was a lovely meal but I think they could do with thinking of vegans a little bit more.

Anyway on with the recipe which was a quick and simple snack that I made and was very glad that I had when I was at the Ideal Home Exhibition. I am a big fan of bounce balls and thought I would put together my own version of them. I have kept the recipe quite simple so that they are easy to make and still tasty. I have kept the amount of sweetness in them quite low as the keeps the GL low which is perfect for my blood sugar. You can up the sweetness, it will just mean you need less milk but remember this will make them a little bit less healthy.

These lovely little protein balls are the perfect post workout snack as that are sure to give you an energy boost and very low levels of sugar mean that they will not cause a crash later in the day. Plus all the nuts that go into these snacks mean you are getting a good dose of B vitamins, in particular B12 and B6 along with a whole host of other vitamins and minerals.

Pecan & Cashew Protein Balls

Makes 12

Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

75g/6 tbs Peanut Butter, Unsweetened

50g/1/2 cup Pea Protein

25g/1/4 cup Pecans

25g/1/4 cup Cashews

1 1/2 tbs Rice Malt Syrup

4 tbs Coconut Milk Drink (or vegan milk of your choice)

1/4 tsp Salt

2 tbs Chopped Nuts

Instructions

1. Put all of the ingredients except the milk and copped nuts into a food processor and mix until you have a crumbly paste.

2. Add the milk to your food processor while blending 1 tbs at a time until it begins to hold together. You might need more or less than 4 tablespoons. The mixture should form a dough that holds together when pressed but is not wet.

3. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and roll into balls and roll around the chopped nuts. Keep in an airtight container for about a week and snack on whenever you need an energy boost.