Chia Protein Truffles

I was recently contacted by Health Warrior to see if I'd like to try out one of their recipes to share on my blog. They sent me all the ingredients I needed to make these chia seed protein truffles. I've been eating chia seeds for a while now because they pack a lot of nutrients in them such as protein, calcium, fiber, magnesium, and omega-3. They're also fun to play with because they can absorb a lot of liquid and can turn almond milk into almond chia seed pudding. I like adding them to my overnight oats to make them thicker.

The recipe they sent me are essentially date balls that you've probably seen online before. Truth be told I'd never made them before because I had a bad experience with dates. Gary bought a bag from the farmers market, and one day I was snacking on them and found a meal worm inside!! I was pretty grossed out; how many other worms have I eaten before deciding to look inside?! It's been at least a year since that incident and I was ready to try eating dates again.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results and have made them several times over since receiving the ingredients. They're super filling, portable, and pack a lot of protein in them! The best part is that these truffles are really quick and easy to make. All you need is a food processor to blend everything together.

Also, if you don't have certain ingredients they're easy to swap out. For example, I was accidentally send a 100% cacao chocolate bar instead of raw cacao powder. The recipe is actually called "Raw Cacao Chia Protein Truffles" but I am fairly certain the brand I was sent was not processed raw which is why I left that part out of the title. Instead, I used a microplane to zest the chocolate into fine shavings. I've also made them using cocoa powder and chocolate chips. They all work fine!

Here's a step by step guide to making your own chia protein truffles. (Full recipe and instructions are below.)

Gather your ingredients.

Combine everything except for the dates in a food processor.

I only have a mini food processor without much power and it still worked perfectly fine.

Blend for a minute or two. This is what it'll look like.

Add dates one by one until everything starts sticking together. I only had to use 6 dates.

Roll them into balls. You're done! You can also roll them in coconut flakes or cocoa powder to make them a little fancier.

Cacao Chia Protein Truffles  Recipe by Health Warrior

1/2 c walnuts 1/2 c gluten free rolled oats 1/4 c hemp seeds 2 tsp Health Warrior Chia Seeds 1/4 c raw cacao 1/4 tsp salt 6-8 Medjool dates, pitted 1 c coconut flakes (optional)

Place all ingredients, except dates, in a food processor. Blend on high for 1-2 minutse until all ingredients are finely ground.

Add one date at a time, while the food processor runs, allowing each to blend thorougly before adding the next. Mixture will be cake-like and crumbly, but will easily stick together when pressed. If the mixture will not hold together well, add a couple of water drops or an extra date to moisten.

Roll tablespoon sized portions of the mixture into balls. Roll in a bed of coconut flakes if desired. Store uneaten Chia Protein Truffles in the fridge.