Super EASY and tastes delish! And when you are starving with a demanding toddler and a newborn that needs to nurse, your body will THANK YOU for these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Lactation Energy Balls!
Ingredients: I get most all my ingredients from Costco, great price and had enough to make double batch, 40 balls – plus I still have extra ingredients too for when I run out and need to make more. You can also make these without the brewers’ yeast as a great protein ball for pre and post workouts or quick snack!
-15-20 oz Package Pitted Dates or 2c Pureed Dates
-1/3 c. Chia Seeds
-1/3 c. Flax Seed or Flax Meal (optional: I usually add more dates and honey if I add this so that they bind well)
-2 Scoops Juice Plus+ Dutch Chocolate Complete (sub with cocoa powder or another nutritional shake item, this one has a great taste and mixes really well and whole food based ingredients, so safe while nursing and great for toddler smoothies)
-1/2 c. Old-Fashioned Oats (great for milk production)
-1/2 c. Peanut butter (preferably organic and natural –no Peter Pan please– love Costco’s Kirkland brand, great price too), add more for greater PB taste
-2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract (optional)
-4 Tbsp Coconut Oil
-3 Tbsp Brewers’ Yeast (aids in increasing milk supply, find online, vitamin shop or health food store – not the same as bakers’ yeast)
-1/3-2/3 c. Unsweetened shredded coconut flakes (optional)
-1/4-1/2 c. Local honey (I vary the measurements so if you want a little more sweetness and if the last mix of ingredients are not sticking to make last couple balls, a ‘lil extra honey or date paste!)
Directions: All you need is a large mixing bowl, pan or large tray and a food processor! (Or if you have a great blender, I used my Vitamix, but I pureed dates in small batches at a time so not to jam up the blades.) Just scoop each mini batch into bowl for mixing. Remove pits from dates if needed, blend until forms paste. It does not have to be perfectly smooth… think granola bar texture and when you mix it up with other ingredients it will mash up more.
Add all other ingredients into large mixing bowl with date puree paste and mix well with hands in bowl. Roll into mini balls. Place balls on tray and freeze for 2 hours. Transfer to a Ziploc bag or storage container. Store the balls in the freezer or refrigerator. I prefer in freezer that way if I throw in toddlers snack bag it is not hot and mushy by the time I go to have my snack and I love the cold tasty chocolate treat.
First off, thank you for this great and easy recipe! I’ve made a couple of batches already and my husband and I absolutely love them! We keep them in the freezer and take a couple with us to work every morning for snacking while at work.
Thank goodness for the Vitamix, makes a nice sticky date paste and helps bind all the dry ingredients together along with the peanut butter and coconut oil. I use 2 scoops of regular whey protein and 2 tbsp. of cocoa powder for the chocolate flavor.
Preparing to make our 3rd batch this evening, thanks again for the awesome recipe!
Hi Vanessa!!
That is so awesome to hear, I love them and I have even been making large batches to share with a friend that had twins. 🙂 I am happy to hear hubby likes as well, both my toddler and hubby enjoy, perfect healthy lil snack jam packed with nutritious stuff!
In health, fitness & family,
Kirsten