Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Almost all of my recipes so far have involved peanut butter or PB2.  YES, I love peanut butter.  I also really love this recipe.  These taste like cookies. Sometimes I'm thinking, "Can these really be good for me?" So I did the math.

This recipe makes 25 bites for me, so each protein ball is approximately

70 cals, 4 g pro, 5.6 g carbs, 3.4 g fat

TIPS: If you want this recipe to be lower in calories, find a low fat peanut butter--I might try PB2 next time. Yall know I love it!  This is a very protein-rich, fiber-filled snack.  It may look heavy in cals, but it's packed with nutrition. For example, oatmeal has fiber, which is beneficial in lowering cholesterol.  Flaxseed is full of omega 3's-- great for lowering triglycerides & blood pressure.  This is a great, sustainable snack for anytime you need a pick-me-up.  It's also a much better alternative to what you could be eating.

Convinced? This recipe can be made so many different ways.  My mom is the one who introduced them to me {packed them as a snack for a road trip I was taking}.  I have been addicted ever since! We make them differently every time, but it's something I almost always have in my refrigerator. 

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup ground flaxseed {you can also use whole flaxseed, but I like ground best}

1/3 cup agave

 1 scoop vanilla protein powder {I love vanilla AdvoCare Muscle Gain}

1 tsp vanilla extract

Simply stir all your ingredients together in a large bowl. Chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours. Roll into balls.  Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag & keep in the refrigerator. Enjoy! Feel free to be creative & add other ingredients, like chocolate chips, nuts, more protein, or Stevia instead of agave.  Adapted from Smashed Peas & Carrots.