Carob Protein Snacks

Hi again!

I've been wandering the realms of the internet since I started this new way of eating and as of late, I've actually hit a spot of luck. Normally one can find blogs dedicated to cooking gluten-free, but that uses sugar; or a sugar-free blog that depends on the stretchy gluten. And forget trying to make any sort of bread without that yeast. ~sigh~

But hope is not lost. I have come across the awesome blog Diet, Dessert and Dogs. What's not to love, right? I haven't managed all the way through it, but I did get to try a recipe based on their ACD-Friendly, High-Protein, No-Bake Snackin’ Orbs which turned out delightfully. They apparently host a monthly Sweet or Savory Challenge as well, so I might have to give that a try in the future. But for now, I'm happy to have a quick pick-me-up snack living in the fridge.


As a quick note on carob, if you are not diet-restricted and prefer using cocoa, give it a go. I know that carob isn't 'chocolate-y' enough for a lot of people. But man, when you haven't had chocolate since Thanksgiving, carob comes in pretty close. And no caffeine, for those that are looking for that sort of thing. Apparently the roasted variety tastes more like cocoa, but I haven't tried the raw.

You can also substitute other sweeteners if you like, I'm just doing my best to be good about no sugar. It's tough, but I feel so much better!


Carob Protein Snacks

Ingredients

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1/2 cup protein powder (I used the whey powder I had left from the coconut cookies)

3 Tbsp carob powder

1/8-1/4 tsp stevia powder or to taste; keep in mind that some protein powder is pre-sweetened (I used a packet of Sweet Leaf)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup flax seed meal

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

1/2 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut

1/2 cup almond butter, unsweetened

2 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Unsweetened almond milk to get the right texture

In a bowl, sift together the coconut flour, protein powder, carob powder, stevia and cinnamon. Add the flax meal, sesame seeds, and coconut; stir until evenly mixed.

In a small pot, melt the almond butter and coconut oil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the oils over the dry ingredients and stir well to combine, adding almond milk until it comes together to be slightly moist and smooth, like a cookie dough.

Using a teaspoon (I used my small scoop), scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet in the refrigerator until firm; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Apparently you can also press them into a lined cake pan and cut them into bars.

NOTE: There is a lot of wiggle room in this recipe (please see the original link for other ideas), so please use ingredients that inspire you.

Enjoy!