Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bites

October 29, 2015 by 10 Comments

Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bites - only 4 ingredients!Quickly popping in today to share a recipe for a yummy snack I made myself yesterday. Have you guys every had the peanut butter & jelly Larabars? They’re amazing. Unfortunately, I can only find the flavor in a couple stores around Boston so I decided to make my own version in ball form. Same ingredients, but of course in slightly different proportions as I have no way of knowing Larabar’s exact recipe. You’ll just need 4 ingredients and 10 minutes. Bam!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bites - only 4 ingredients! Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bites - only 4 ingredients!

About the taste: The unsweetened cherries give these a little tart kick to complement the sweetness of the dates. I love it — it’s like that addicting zing you get in the back corners of your mouth when you eat salt & vinegar chips (weird comparison, I know haha). If you don’t like that tartness, you can always just use fewer cherries, adding an equal amount of dates to replace them. 

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Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bites

Yield: 10 balls

Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bites

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
  • 15 pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries
  • Sea salt to taste (about 1/8 tsp)

Instructions

  1. Put 1/2 cup of the peanuts and the salt in a food processor and combine until the oils release and it turns into a smooth peanut butter.
  2. Add the rest of the peanuts, cherries and dates into the food processor and combine until everything is fully mixed. It'll have the texture of sand; not a silky batter.
  3. Remove mixture from the processor into a bowl and form into bite-sized balls with your hands, squeezing it all together as you roll so that it holds.
  4. Eat right away or refrigerate for 10 minutes first to firm them up.
  5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
https://pumpsandiron.com/2015/10/29/peanut-butter-jelly-snack-bites/
 Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bites - only 4 ingredients! Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bites - only 4 ingredients!

Enjoy!

What’s YOUR favorite Larabar flavor? Tied for first place with peanut butter & jelly is blueberry muffin — I can’t get enough! 🙂

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Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan

Put-It-On-Everything Black Bean Spread

August 19, 2015 by 8 Comments

Black Bean Spread - this recipe is so easy and versatile! Great as a topping for scrambled eggs with hot sauce, as a spread on tacos/burritos, or as a dip with salsa and chipsI am starting to seriously crave fall. I love summer, but with weddings and trips almost every single weekend—most of which either start on Thursday or extend through Monday—I’m exhausted. Happy and having a blast, but exhausted.

When Labor Day passes and I can finally settle back into some semblance of a routine, one thing I’m excited about is cooking regularly again. I want to share easy, versatile recipes that can be used in many ways throughout the week because I find these are the most practical and the ones that become a staple for healthy eating. Lets get a head start with this black bean spread/dip! Black Bean Spread - this recipe is so easy and versatile! Great as a topping for scrambled eggs with hot sauce, as a spread on tacos/burritos, or as a dip with salsa and chips

Some ways I use it:

  • Spread on tacos/burritos/fajitas
  • Spread on toast with some avocado slices
  • As a topper for scrambled eggs with some hot sauce and a sprinkle of cheese
  • As a dip with salsa and chips (perfect if you’re hosting a get-together!)

Black Bean Spread - this recipe is so easy and versatile! Great as a topping for scrambled eggs with hot sauce, as a spread on tacos/burritos, or as a dip with salsa and chips Black Bean Spread - this recipe is so easy and versatile! Great as a topping for scrambled eggs with hot sauce, as a spread on tacos/burritos, or as a dip with salsa and chips

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Put-It-On-Everything Black Bean Spread

Yield: 1 cup

Put-It-On-Everything Black Bean Spread

Ingredients

  • 1 15-oz can black beans
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ small red onion, chopped
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • Dash – 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (depending on how hot you want it)
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Rinse the beans and pat dry with a paper towel.
  2. Put everything in a food processor. I usually add 1 tbsp of evoo right away and then gradually add the second tbsp as I process, if needed. Combine for about 30 seconds for a coarser texture; up to a couple minutes for a smoother texture.
  3. Eat it as a spread on tacos, fajitas or sandwiches. You can also use it as a topping for scrambled eggs with some hot sauce (so good!) or as a dip with tortilla chips and salsa.

Notes

The red onion is totally optional. I love the addition, but I’ve made this spread without it a few times, too, and it’s still delicious. If you don’t like cilantro, just omit it.

https://pumpsandiron.com/2015/08/19/put-it-on-everything-black-bean-spread/

Ok I’m thinking we spread this on a taco, top with some lettuce and this stupid-easy slow cooker chicken, add fresh chopped tomato and avocado, and then sprinkle with hot sauce. Who’s with me??

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Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan

Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls

June 9, 2015 by 12 Comments

Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls (you pick your favorite flavors!)All you 13-year-old boys reading this post are probably having a field day with the title. No? Just me? Ok… 😉

Immature humor aside, there are probably at least a trillion ball recipes floating around Pinterest by now. I personally have an entire board dedicated to them because for some reason, bite-sized anything just melts my heart.

       Follow Nicole | Pumps & Iron’s board Balls & Bites on Pinterest.
Instead of giving you an exact recipe, I wanted to share a loose framework for putting together a yummy nut butter protein ball that allows you to easily customize with your favorite ingredients. When I’m making balls, I usually just wing it these days, tossing in whatever I have on hand. As long as the dry-to-wet portions are right, you can really have fun with the details. Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls (you pick your favorite flavors!)

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Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls

Yield: 10 balls

Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls

Ingredients

  • 1/3 c quick oats (grind them up in a food processor)
  • ½ c nut butter of choice
  • ¼ c protein powder of choice
  • 2 tbsp liquid flavor of choice (maple syrup, honey, lemon juice, agave, etc.)
  • 2 tbsp- ¼ cup add-ins of choice (shredded coconut, hemp seeds, raisins, nuts, dates, spices, etc.)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but I always add it)

Instructions

  1. Put everything in a food processor until combined. If you want to add in raisins or nuts, you can omit those ingredients from the food processor and roll them in afterwards to give the balls a chunky texture.
  2. If the mixture is too dry, add in a little more of your favorite liquid ingredient. Too sticky? Add in a little more oats or protein powder.
  3. Roll into two-bite balls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
https://pumpsandiron.com/2015/06/09/customizable-nut-butter-protein-balls/

Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls (you pick your favorite flavors!)I’ll leave you with three combination examples I’ve made recently:

Lemon Coconut Almond Butter Protein Bites

  • 1/3 c quick oats, ground
  • ½ c almond butter
  • ¼ c vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp hemp seeds
  • ¼ cup shredded coconut (+a little for coating)

Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls (you pick your favorite flavors!)

Basic Protein Almond Butter Bites

  • 1/3 c quick oats, ground
  • ½ c almond butter
  • ½ c vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp hemp seeds

Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls (you pick your favorite flavors!)

Cinnamon Raisin Almond Butter Protein Bites

  • 1/3 c quick oats, ground
  • ½ c almond butter
  • ½ c vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ c raisins

Customizable Nut Butter Protein Balls (you pick your favorite flavors!)

What are your go-to flavor combos for these types of snacks?

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Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan
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