Got a craving for sweet vanilla birthday cake?! Me too, always! Make these perfectly sized protein bites that taste just like eating a delicious bite of birthday cake! These bites are so deliciously satisfying you won’t even miss the icing (or the refined sugar)!
You see what I did here? I added something to this recipe, and you won’t even be able to tell they’re in the batter. Chia seeds. Do you know about this uber-heathy food?
Chia seeds, although small, are pack with healthy protein, fiber, and fat. One tablespoon of chia seeds contains 5g fiber (20% daily value), 3g protein (6% daily value), and 4g fat (6% daily value). 1 tablespoons also has 80mg calcium (8% daily value), 1.9mg iron (11% daily value), 120mg phosphorus (12% daily value), and 40mg magnesium (10% daily value). The healthy fats in these little seeds are heart-friendly omegas, including omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and omega-9 fatty acids. They’re easy to add in yogurt and oatmeal and on top of salads and soups (for another chia seed recipe, check out these Blueberry Chia Whole-Wheat Pancakes I make almost every Sunday – they’re a family favorite).
Back to chia – they’re a hidden gem. My boys have never complained about them, either. Which is a mom-win!
No-Bake Vanilla Birthday Cake Protein Bites {Gluten-Free}
Makes 24 bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (see note)
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sprinkles, optional (see note)
Method
- Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor.
- Pulse until combined.
- Add remainder of ingredients to the food processor.
- Blend until smooth and well combined, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of bowl a few ties.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Using an extra small ice-cream scoop (or use a tablespoon), form 24 balls and drop each on lined sheet pan.
- Place bites in the freezer for 30 minutes or fridge for a couple of hours, or until bites are firm. When ready to eat, let bites come to rroom temperature for 15-20 minutes then enjoy!
Notes
- Look for a vanilla protein powder made of wholesome ingredients, like this plant-based organic vanilla protein powder.
- For a richer vanilla cake flavor, substitute coconut oil with grass-fed butter. Note the recipe will no longer be dairy-free with this change.
- Sprinkles have artificial colors and refined sugars, which is why they’re optional. I used them for photo purposes because how do you make a sand-colored ball look appealing
