The weather is cooling down, the air is crisp, it’s scarf season…all signs are pointing towards PUMPKIN SPICE!!! For your super busy days, these pumpkin spice protein balls are full of energy. They pack a nutritional punch and will fire you up for the day ahead. Not only this, but it’s super easy and realistic because there’s NO baking, one bowl, and a super quick assemble time.
The easiest and most delicious fall snack! Made with the fresh, energy rich ingredients including oats, pumpkin, chia seeds, flax seeds, and maple syrup.
And let’s not forget about that amazing fall flavor-pumpkin! Pumpkin has one impressive nutrient profile. One cup of cooked pumpkin contains 245% your daily needs of Vitamin A: the fat soluble vitamin that helps to stimulate the production of white blood cells, aids in the process of remodeling bone, and helps to regulate cell division and growth, as needed for reproduction.
As the weather gets cooler, many people often develop colds and flus. But, pumpkin can help boost the immune system with its nutritional values! Pumpkin is high in both vitamins A, vitamin C, and vitamin E which been shown to help increase immune function. Not only that, but pumpkin also is a great source of iron and folate, which also aid the the immune system function.
This superfood is full of lutein, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin, all of which may help protect your eyesight. Pumpkin is also a fantastic source of fiber: regulates blood sugar, aids in digestion, and normalizes healthy bowel movements,.
These energy balls also contain sunflower seed butter “sun butter,” a healthy fat that aids in the absorption of vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning it is absorbed with the consumption of fats in the diet and stored in the body’s fatty tissue and liver. Sunflower seed butter is GREAT alternative to nut butters for those who are allergic to tree nuts and/or peanuts, while still providing outstanding nutritional content. One tablespoon of sun butter contains a hefty quantity of vitamin E, as well as a plant based protein, healthy fats, and magnesium.
Finally, these pumpkin spice protein balls also contain an abundance of nutrients from the rolled oats. They’re an excellent source of fiber, iron, and plant-based protein. Women typically need to increase their iron consumption around their menstrual cycle due to the loss of iron during menses.
But enough about the benefits, let’s dive into the recipe! This recipe takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Ingredients:
- 1 cups rolled oats
- 1 scoop protein powder
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup sunflower butter (or nut butter of your choice)
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients other than chocolate chips.
- Once mixed fully, lightly fold in the chocolate chips.
- Use a spoon to help you to roll into 1-2” sized balls.
Store in refrigerator for a quick breakfast or snack. Or, make them in bulk to use them as a long term solution: they’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months– you can pull them out when you need them, and defrost in the microwave from 5-10 seconds.