Caramel Peanut Protein Truffles. Smooth caramel, crunchy peanuts, and a chocolate finish. When you crave candy but pick healthy protein truffles, you know you've found the perfect recipe!
This post was sponsored by BasilHealth but the content and opinions expressed are fully my own.
Candy. A child's ultimate. For a parent, not so much. I mean, I'm ALL for treats now and then, life is short and I treat myself so why shouldn't they? But what about the times you really want to indulge but need that healthy twist? Enter healthy protein truffles filled with buttery caramel flavor and crunchy peanuts! We're talking no refined sugar, nutrient filled ingredients, protein and a fully raw option. The only issue is that you may not be able to stop eating them, so it's a good thing that these aren't that bad for you 😉 The perfect secretly healthy candy like treat!
Some of you may know my story, why I started this blog, why we changed the way we ate. In a nutshell, we changed to a plant-based diet almost 5 years ago to help my husband’s health. Within 3 months, he was off all of his medications and his blood pressure and cholesterol were at all time lows. He felt better, lost weight and was just overall a happier man. This in turn made him a better husband and a better father. At this moment, we fully believed in the saying "food is medicine." Although we don't stress about making sure we always eat perfectly healthy, because I truly believe the impact on stress will counteract the good that healthy food creates, we experienced first hand the huge impact that food choice has on the body. It can hurt or help, it can wreak havoc or heal.
So when my friend Julie of Pure Mamas came to me about working with a new company BasilHealth, I was immediately drawn and intrigued. BasilHealth is a San Francisco-based consumer digital health technology company that shares my vision to help people take control of their health. It’s up to each of us to take responsibility for our own health and our bodies, and BasilHealth is working at creating the next-generation of consumer health and personalized medicine, which will give us the tools to help us succeed.
I’m so excited to work with this company who is taking a stand against the norm! Change makes us think, and thinking about our health and how we can each take control of it will help lead us in the right direction. I feel honored to be part of this movement and help spread the word — and I can’t wait to see what they unveil soon! Definitely check out their site at www.basilhealth.com and signup to be notified when they unveil the biggest breakthrough in personal health to date--so exciting!
Healthy food is really good, flavorful and will keep you satisfied. You just need the right recipes! This is why I created these caramel and peanut flavored vegan protein power balls. You can even make them into raw protein balls with a few subs. These are not a boring tasteless treat. My kids shoved these protein truffles into their mouth faster than I could scream SLOW DOWN! And I won't even talk about the littlest one (note to self, do NOT let baby eat chocolate without direct supervision).
Things you will find in these protein truffles:
- oats (fiber, calcium, protein)
- pecans (healthy fat, fiber, antioxidants)
- peanuts (healthy fat, protein, essential vitamins)
- dates (natural unrefined sugar, fiber, essential vitamins and minerals)
- coconut sugar (lower glycemic index than white sugar and has some nutrients unlike white sugar)
- dark chocolate and raw cacao powder (antioxidant, fiber, iron)
So what are you waiting for?! Make these raw protein balls and indulge. Indulge in healthy delicious amazing food. Let food be the medicine that makes your body go!
Caramel Peanut Protein Truffles (raw, vegan)
Ingredients
- 20 medjool dates
- ¾ cup peanuts , raw for raw version
- ¼ cup raw pecans
- 2 tablespoons oats , gluten-free if needed
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar , see note
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , see note
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips , see note
Instructions
- Put dates in a bowl of warm water to soften.
- Put pecans, oats and coconut sugar into a food processor. Blend until you get a crumbly texture.
- Add in dates, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth.
- Add in peanuts and pulse mixture so that they are chopped but still in crunchy pieces.
- Scoop out spoonfuls and using hands, roll into 1 inch balls.
- Melt chocolate in microwave (or double boiler), 30 seconds at a time so you don’t burn it (mine took 1 minute, but all microwaves vary).
- Dip balls into chocolate and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Put in refrigerator to harden chocolate. Try not to eat them all!
Notes
In order to make these fully raw:
- Use raw nuts
- Sub a raw sweetener for the coconut sugar (such as stevia, sucanat, or some palm sugar is considered raw), sub with agave nectar or even 2-3 more dates, or simply leave out the sugar for a less sweet version.
- Use ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder. For the chocolate coating, instead of dark chocolate chips mix ½ cup cacao powder with ½ cup coconut oil (you can try really runny coconut butter too if avoiding oil) and 2-3 tablespoons of your raw sweetener of choice.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
The Vegan 8
These look so insane girl! The peanuts, the pecans and the coconut sugar! Sound so darn delicious! I've been making things with dates more for Olivia because they are healthier and she actually loves dates! I bet she would love these sooo much, I'd just use almonds instead of peanuts. And dipping them in in chocolate, well hell yes! Any chance for me to eat more chocolate is a win-win in my book, lol!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you thank you! The combo of flavors is SO good. Olivia would love them. And yes, totally use almonds instead of peanut! Walnuts would probably work well too. Or even just more pecans! You can put extra in last and just pulse to be crunchy. I send them to school with Sam as a protein boost snack! SO happy, we can do nuts at school now that he is in elementary!
Anjali @ Vegetarian Gastronomy
I LOVE date-nut balls! Especially when they are dipped in chocolate...these look lovely!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you! I've had some great remakes from readers that love them already!
Gin
I need these in my life! Dipping them in chocolate sounds like the best thing ever. I'm going to have to freeze them to make the batch last a few days (hopefully).
veggiesdontbite
Yes! Great idea. They go fast!!
Linda @ Veganosity
You know how much I love making protein balls and bars. These are better than candy, Sophia. I'd down the whole plate in an hour-haha!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Linda!! I have to hide these just to get one at my house!
Uma Srinivas
Plant based diet sounds good, one month i tried but lost interest without milk, and butter milk. These looks awesome. 🙂
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Uma! It takes a lot of planning, research and patience to change your diet. I feel that many people don't succeed because they don't plan and take time to slowly get into it. When we changed our, I took an entire month of researching recipes and food alternatives, trying a few things here and there. So once we officially started making the switch I was ready! And it took time. Slowly making a change is perfectly ok. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing thing!
Matt @ Plating Pixels
I've been eating healthier bit also love desserts. This is total win win!
veggiesdontbite
Such a hard balance isn't it? I love a little something sweet so try and make a healthy alternative to satisfy that craving. You only have one life, so need to eat well right?!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
Sophia, these look delicious! I love using dates and coconut sugar in recipes.
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Amy! I love that combo of flavor too!!
Emily
YUM! I love protein bites but you really stepped it up a notch by dipping them in chocolate!
veggiesdontbite
Always! LOL!! If there's room for chocolate, I say why not?!
Debi at Life Currents
Filled with yummy and good for you tastiness! These look so good! I could pop a few right now.
veggiesdontbite
Thank you!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
I love making little energy bites like this. The perfect snack when on the go!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you! Yes, perfect on the go snack!
Jenn
I think I'm in love....swoon. Some of my fave flavors here all in little bite size form. That could be dangerous. Good thing they are healthy!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Jenn! They are dangerous...but definitely not a bad thing!
Beth @ Binky's Culinary Carnival
Oh my God! These look and sound fantastic!! And healthy too? How can you go wrong? That's amazing all of your husbands were great after only 3 months!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Beth! They are the perfect little healthy treat!
Becky Striepe
These look so good, Sophia!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks!
Cassie
I used to be crazy about Reese's peanut butter cups! Now I'm not too crazy about candies, except for chocolates. Man oh man! But these caramel peanut protein truffles look absolutely phenomenal. I would LOVE to try this recipe as soon as I stock up my kitchen!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Cassie! I think you'd love them! Let me know if you try it out!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I think you should give these out as the candy on Halloween 😉
veggiesdontbite
Ha!! I'd eat them all first 😉