These Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Spice Protein Bites are packed with protein, require minimal effort and are so delicious, you won’t even know they’re good for you, too. If you’re looking for a tasty and healthy alternative to cookies when there are sweet holiday treats lurking around every corner, I got your back with this recipe.
As with any recipe I develop, there’s always a series of versions, adjustments and tastings that come with the territory. For the past few months, I’ve been toying with the idea of a healthy energy bite that can serve as a holiday cookie temptation buster – something with a little citrus and spice, but without a lot of added sugar or other heavy ingredients.
These delicious and Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Spice Protein Bites are packed with protein in the form of peanut butter, nuts and vegan protein powder. Golden raisins and orange juice add a little natural sweetness without any added refined sugar, while oats add gluten free fiber to these tasty treats. No-guilt, healthy snacking tastes pretty darn good.
Jump to RecipeEasy 7-Ingredient Orange Spice Protein Bites: Food to fuel the mind and body
At the time of this post, the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday was fast approaching, and for my family, Christmas was just around the corner. And during the month of December, cookies are right around the corner. Literally, there are cookies everywhere in my house. You see, I have a Christmas tradition of baking an obscene number of cookies – everything from frosted cut-outs to gingerbread, biscotti, tea cakes, truffles, raspberry almond bars, marshmallows and the list goes on. If you can dream it, chances are, I’m baking it.
There’s a reason for all the cookie baking. I love the process of baking the cookies in and of itself, but does anyone need that many cookies? Absolutely not. So, I found an outlet for all the baking. I like to box up an assortment of cookies and deliver them around town. It’s a tradition I’ve been doing now for a good 20 years. Even more than the pleasure I get from baking, I get a lot of joy out of delivering those cookies to people. Raise your hand if you enjoy cooking for others and watching their faces as they bite into something that brings them joy! You understand where I’m coming from then.
That’s the up-side to baking so many cookies. The down-side is I’m tempted to eat more than my fair share of sweets the whole month of December, and as I hear from others who are working to stick to the healthier choices they’ve been implementing in their own lives, I thought I might do the same. In the spirit of sharing something good, I thought I’d share with you this recipe for Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Spice Protein Bites.
These little protein bites are easy to whip up and they help keep me satisfied so I’m not always sneaking off to the cookie jar.
Packed with protein, fiber and other good stuff
So what’s in these Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Spice Protein Bites anyway? For starters, they are packed with protein. In this recipe, I call for peanut butter (crunchy or smooth), peanuts and an additional 1/4 cup of protein powder.
I use Orgain Vanilla Protein Powder but you can use your favorite variety of protein powder as a substitute. If you have a sensitivity to quinoa, pea protein or some other ingredient, it’s important to use a protein powder that is friendly to your system. My husband is allergic to quinoa, so when I whip up a batch of these protein bites for him, I use his whey protein instead.
Old fashioned rolled oats, pecans, and golden raisins provide fiber and a little natural sweetness to these tasty treats. A touch of orange juice and pumpkin spice deliver warm holiday flavors to this healthier cookie alternative.
One of the things I love about this recipe is how quickly it comes together – which is a good thing since technically, I’m adding yet another cookie to my holiday baking list. All the ingredients are blended together in a food processor. After a few pulses, a thick dough comes together. Simply scoop the dough into 22 portions (a task that is made even easier with the help of a small cookie scoop) and roll into balls. Chill for two hours in the refrigerator until they firm up and the flavors come together. This is my new favorite, no bake, easy-peasy, heathy holiday snack.
Special thanks to Esprita for providing the INR-G multivitamin powder featured in this post.
Add a vitamin boost to your snacks
I’m delighted to be partnering with Esprita – a health and wellness company based in South Haven, Michigan. I’ve been using their Spirit System which contains the INR-G Multivitamin for several months now and loving the sustained energy and mental focus I’m feeling. I also love the fact I can work it into my diet in creative ways.
What if I said you could give this energy balls recipe an added vitamin boost, too? I got the idea to develop this variation one morning while sipping on my INR-G multivitamin and working out this recipe at the same time. Simply add a packet of the INR-G powder to the protein bite mix as directed below in the body of the recipe.
After the protein bites have been rolled and chilled for two hours, you’re ready to enjoy these orange INR-G bites anytime you want a quick, delicious, little something extra!
If you’re looking for a simple recipe to keep on hand so that you won’t feel so tempted this holiday to snack on other sweet treats, give this recipe for Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Spice Protein Bites a try. If chocolate, no-bake cookies were your weakness growing up, I’d also like to point you toward my recipe for 7-Ingredient No Bake Energy Bites. This vegan protein balls recipe is packed with protein in the form of peanut butter, nuts and vegan protein powder, dried cherries and almond milk and make another healthy sweet treat alternative.
Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Spice Protein Bites
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings15
minutes2
hoursTwo Energy Bites equal one serving.
Ingredients
1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1/4 cup vegan vanilla flavored protein powder (vanilla whey protein can be substituted if desired)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
2 tsp. pumpkin spice powder
1 packet Esprita INR-G orange-flavored multivitamin powder (optional)
1/2 cup orange juice
Melted white chocolate for decorative drizzling (optional)
Directions
- In a large food processor, combine the oats, protein powder, peanut butter, pecans, raisins, pumpkin spice and Esprita INR-G powder (optional). Pulse 15 – 20 times until the raisins and nuts break up and are evenly distributed throughout the oat mixture.
- Add the orange juice to the mixture. Combine on low speed until a thick dough forms – approximately 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the the container halfway through the mixing process to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
- Scoop the dough into 24 equal portions measuring approximately 1 Tablespoon each. Roll into balls and chill for two hours.
- Balls are ready to consume after they have chilled for two hours. They will firm up and their flavor will mellow as the batter rests.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy any time you need a boost of energy.
Notes
- Note: This post contains affiliate links, where I earn from qualifying purchases.
