These Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bites are my new favorite afternoon snack. They’re made with a secret ingredient that is sure to surprise you. Here are some clues: it’s a whole food that’s high in fiber and protein. It’s also inexpensive, super nutritious and you probably have it in your pantry right now. Any guesses?
It’s black beans! That’s right, one can of black beans is the secret ingredient in these chocolatey protein energy bites. You might be thinking, oh that sounds gross — and I get it. I felt the same way about this chocolate avocado pudding — until I tried it. So trust me, these little bites are delicious — and healthy. What I really love is that at about 120 calories per serving, they contain 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber! This is pretty good, considering most energy bites are loaded with sugar and fat — and not much else.
Because they’re made mostly with peanut butter and beans, they’re very creamy, so I would store them in the freezer and eat them cold. I just had one this morning for breakfast, alongside my oatmeal. It was a great little add-on to my meal. Of course you could have one (or two!) for an afternoon snack or for some pre-workout energy, too!
If you’re thinking, what about the beans? I promise you don’t taste them at all. Not even a little bit. My husband had no idea when I asked him what the secret ingredient was. He was shocked when I told him it was black beans.
You could definitely change up this recipe and use almond butter. Next time I might add some peppermint extract!
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bites
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed well
- 3/4 cup peanut butter or other nut butter of choice
- 10 pitted dates or honey, maple syrup, etc.
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a food processor, process the almonds until they are a fine crumb. Add the dates and process until they are well incorporated. Add the beans, peanut butter, and cocoa powder and process until the mixture is smooth.
