Raw Brownie Protein Bites

Last night I had the pleasure of sitting on a panel about gut health and overall wellness in collaboration with Take Care Shop and The Beauty Chef - two brands I adore for a multitude of reasons. I first found out about The Beauty Chef when I traveled to Australia this time last year and saw the products at nearly every health food market and juice shop we stopped into during our stay. What I love so much about this particular line of products is that it is based around the knowledge that beauty comes from within and, in particular, comes from a healthy gut and digestive system. Probiotics and gut heath are hot topics right now for good reason - there has been a dramatic rise in processed foods which wreak havoc on our sensitive stomachs and, as a result, many people are getting interested in how to heal a plethora of ailments using food and supplementation. 

Over 50% of my health coaching clients come to me with some type of digestive issue (i.e. IBS, constipation, chronic bloat, etc.) and, while every body requires a different solution, I always start with some type of probiotic and gut-friendly protocol. 

When the Beauty Chef asked me to come up with a recipe using their new Inner Body Protein Powder, I was so excited to put it to good use in a way that isn't your stereotypical protein shake. Instead, I decided to adapt one of my very favorite recipes of all time - Sarah Britton of My New Roots' famous Raw Brownie - and turn it into a bite-sized treat that you can keep on hand for a healthy, satisfying snack. What I love so much about this snack is that, not only is it high in good fats (so important for hormone regulation, brain health and appetite control) protein, but the dates are a much better option than any type of refined sugar and contain a lot of magnesium, a mineral we could all use a little more of (you can read more about magnesium here). These are super simple and last for about a week in the refrigerator (or even longer in the freezer!) - all they require is a little bit of kitchen time and a food processor. 

Ingredients: 
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup protein powder (I used this one!)
pinch of sea salt

Directions: 
1. place walnuts and almonds in food processor and mix until they form a crumbly texture
2. add cacao + protein powder + sea salt and mix until fully blended into nuts
3. keep the food processor going and slowly add pitted dates one at a time - once it is done, it will look like an oily, cake-y mixture
4. place mixture into a large bowl and, one by one, roll into bite-sized balls using your hands
5. place each ball on to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and then let cool in the refrigerator
6. enjoy whenever you want a sweet treat!