Healthy Protein Buckeyes. Is it real? Sure! Make the traditional buckeye recipe an update with protein powder as well as sugaring it with honey for a delicious dessert!
You guys know how I feel about peanut butter and chocolate.
It’s the most perfect match made in heaven. It really is.
Some of the most popular FFF recipes involve the duo: Healthy Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie, Healthy Peanut Butter Cups, Healthy Peanut Butter Brownie Balls. I actually really think people just freakout when they see a chocolate pb recipe that’s “healthy.” That means you can eat 5, right?
So- I’ve been working on different photography techniques. When I was in Toronto a few months ago visiting Davida, I got to see how she shoots all of her recipes. I’ve always been a side lit girl with a bounce, but she inspired me to try backlit. The first time I tired it, it was a major fail. The 2nd time was a major win. I ove the background glow effect backlit gives a photo. You can totally see the difference between side lit (first photo) and back lit (second photo).
I definitely think there is a certain aura a backlit photo gives off. It has a much bigger personality and is moody.
It’s fun playing around with different photography styles. I feel like photography is like makeup. You do you makeup a certain way and you most likely won’t change things up for the next few years (that’s me at least!). Trying out different techniques really challenges me, and that’s one of the best parts about my job! It’s a clear second behind being able to call eating peanut butter and chocolate a job task.
For this recipe, I used dark chocolate chips and thinned things out with a little bit of coconut oil. The first batch I made didnt’ turn out so well because the chocolate stayed super thick. Then, I added too much coconut oil, and it was too think slash melted.
Finally- I got it just right. By that time, I had mastered how to make these things look like balls instead of balls with a ring at the bottom. Actually- I got a really great tip from my bloggin’ pal Amanda from Heart Beet Kitchen. She said to place the ball on a fork. Dip, and tap your wrist, getting as much chocolate off as possible. Then, you finish things off with a toothpick. You slide the ball off the form with your toothpick, getting any access chocolate off the fork.
It takes some serious talent to make a buckeye.
The addition of protein powder is just perfect for my afternoon snack. It makes me feel a little less bad that I’m eating chocolate
In this recipe I used Designer Whey Vanilla. Note that if you use a plant based protein powder, the recipe will likely need to be altered.
1 cup drippy, all-natural peanut butter (I used Kirland All-Natural)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder (I used Designer Whey Vanilla)
2 tablespoons honey, organic
1 cup dark or dairy-free chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
Mix together vanilla, peanut butter protein powder, honey in a large bowl. Mix until the consistency is as soft as cookies dough.
After that, cover the baking sheets with parchment. Utilizing a 1 tablespoon scooper for cookie dough to scoop the dough into your hands. Make a ball of dough and put it on the parchment. Repeat.
Put baking sheet into freezer for 30 minutes or longer enough to allow the balls to set and get a little firmer.
As your chocolate balls chill. Put 1 cup of chocolate chips into a smaller bowl. It should large enough to accommodate the chocolate chips but smaller enough that you’re able to dip balls. Microwave it for approximately 60 minutes. After that, add coconut oil, and mix.
After your balls have firmed into a ball, you can dip them and then place them on a rack to dry cookies to stop the formation of rings. Set a ball on the fork’s end. Dip it into chocolate and leave a ring on the top. Keep your fork on your left hand, and then make use of the right hand to tap your wrist so that the chocolate dribbles off. Then, you can use an ice cube to transfer the chocolate ball off of the fork and onto the drying rack. Repeat.
Set the rack of cookies in the freezer to speed up drying process.