Gingerbread Spice Protein Bites

The holidays are here (yay!) and that means extra time with family, wrapping and unwrapping presents, and LOTS of baking. In between the dozens of snowflake sugar cookies, you may need some extra energy in order to get through the holiday baking whirlwind, and that’s where these Gingerbread Spice Protein Bites come into play! They are no bake so you can give your oven a break and they are made almost entirely of nuts, seeds, and spices, so you can add a little nutrition into your or your mini chef’s day. And just because these bites are healthy, does not mean they can’t be pretty enough to sit out like the rest of cookies on the kitchen counter. Use a cookie cutter to shape them into gingerbread men and drizzle on coconut butter for a wintery effect. Once finished, pop them in the freezer for yummy snacks until the New Year. Happy Holidays!

Serves: 10-12

Prep time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry toasted pecans

• ½ cup slivered raw or toasted almond

• 1 teaspoon flax seeds

• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

• 1 teaspoon hemp seeds

• ¼ cup protein powder

• 1 cup of pitted medjool dates, soaked in warm water for 20 mins ( you can reserve to the water to use a sweetener for baked good).

•   2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted and cooled

• 2 tablespoons of molasses

• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons of ground ginger

• 1 teaspoons of ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

Icing

• 2 tablespoons of melted coconut butter

Directions:

1. Process dates in a food processor until the dates resemble a ball. Add the pecans and almonds and process until mixture comes together (about 1-2 mins), leaving some of the pecans chunky. Stop the food processor to scrape the sides. It should be very sticky.

2. Add the the remainder of ingredients and pulse until combined. 

3. Transfer dough to a 9x12 baking dish, using your hands press the dough down firmly. I like to make my bars about 1 inch thick.

4. Place in the freezer to first about for about 15 minutes.

5. Cut into 10 bars or use a gingerbread person cookie cutter to cut out shapes.

6. Drizzle melted coconut butter over the bars or gingerbread people.

7. I like to keep the bars in the freeze wrapped in parchment paper, but they can also be left at room temp.