Vegan Protein Snacks
I recently went through a 21-day cleanse where I ate all plant-based meals, no added sweeteners, and I drank only water. I researched ways to have enough protein, plus how to add natural sweetness into my meals. One morning I decided to add mashed dates into my oatmeal and put my usual walnuts on top. This moment changed my life. I literally loved every bite.
I then started to contemplate snacks. Eating a piece of fruit was nice, but it didn’t give me the feeling I craved. Peanut butter on celery was fun for a while, it was a pleasant reminder of a childhood treat, but that still wasn’t what I was looking for. After my morning oatmeal, I had an epiphany.
I grabbed a bowl, pitted some dates, and then began to mash them with my pestle. I decided to chop some almonds and walnuts, add them to the dates, then mix them up. I felt something was missing. After a few moments I grabbed some oats, put them in the bowl, mixed away, and put it all on a cutting board. I laughed as I kneaded the mushy mixture, and then rolled out little balls. I took a bite and knew I was onto something.
Those small bites lasted me about three days, so I decided to create the recipe again, this time cutting the mixture into small circles using a wine glass. I thought I would psych myself out if I saw a bigger shape. Those lasted me three days as well.
My next attempt, I increased each ingredient, and then decided to cut them into rectangles. This was it for me. I made a total of 12 bars and so far, I’ve eaten two each day. This is working.
What I love most about these protein snacks is that they are filling, nutritious, and give me a quick energy boost with absolutely no caffeine. My belly is very happy.
These raw, vegan protein snacks are officially a part of my regular eating plan. Even though I’ve transitioned from a 100% plant-based eating plan to about 75%, I’ll be keeping these little babies in my fridge for a protein boost.
If you try them, I’d love to know in the comments how they work for you.
Be Well!
Vegan Protein Snacks
Equipment
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Butcher knife
- 1 Medium-sized bowl
- 1 Pestle or mashing tool
- 1 Rolling Pin optional
- 1 Shape cutter optional
- 1 Airtight container
Ingredients
- 12 dates Preferably organic
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 3/4 cup oats I use gluten-free oats
Instructions
- Lay out all the ingredients on or next to your cutting board. Open dates one-by-one and pull out the seeds. Place the dates in a bowl and mash them with a pestle or potato masher, whichever you have. Once the dates form a paste, put the bowl to the side.
- Pour the almonds and walnuts onto the cutting board and chop into fine pieces. Add the chopped nuts to the date paste, then pour in the uncooked oats. Mix with a spoon or fork until the ingredients start to combine.
- Scoop out the mixture onto the cutting board and knead like dough. Make sure everything is combined into one large ball. Press down with your hands, or a rolling pin until it's about a quarter of an inch thick.
- At this point you have three options. For small ball shape, scoop out a tablespoon of the mixture, roll into balls. If you want small rectangles, simply use a knife to cut into desired shape. Or, for circles, use a shape cutter or round glass to cut into circles.
- Whichever shape you choose, place the protein snacks into an airtight container and keep them refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
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