Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Truffles

Something about the word "truffle"...sounds...well, delicious. And so much tastier than Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls. Call them whatever you want. These are good.




Step 1:

Add all the ingredients, except for water and chocolate chips to the food processor bowl. Use the pulse button to combine. The mixture will be dry. Add about 1/4 cup of water and continue to pulse. The mix should begin to come together. The dates will hold all the ingredients together, but depending on the moisture level of the dates and the absorbancy of your oats and protein powder, you may need to add more water. My batch needed about a 1/2 cup total. You don't want to it to be runny. It should be very sticky and thick. **A note about Madjool dates. They have pits that you must remove! If you forget your food processor will not thank you, either will your teeth should you bite into one**

Step 2:
Remove the dough into a bowl and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. It will make it easier to roll into your truffles.

Step 3:
Roll dough into 20 golf ball sized truffles. I only got 18 out of mine, but that is because I ate the dough right out of the food processor.

Step 4:
Refrigerate your rolled truffles for 10-15 more minutes. While your truffles are chilling, melt about 1/3c of dark chocolate chips in a glass bowl. I prefer to melt them in the microwave because it the easiest. Just put them in for 20 seconds at a time until smooth. It took 40 seconds total.

Step 5:
Dip the bottom half of each truffle into the melted chocolate.

Step 6:
Once the chocolate hardens they are ready to enjoy. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Peanut Butter Cookie Truffles

12 pitted Medjool dates
1 c Old Fashioned Oats

1/4 c PB2 or natural peanut butter
1 c almonds
1/3 c unsweetened dried coconut flakes
1.5 scoops vanilla whey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c water (Approx- maybe more or less) added gradually

1/3 c dark choc chips, melted (optional)

Vanilla Protein Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

I like to think that our reformed eating habits don't have to keep us from enjoying the foods we love, but let's face it... often the things that are truly, mind-blowingly delicious are not so good for you. I'm totally picturing this muffin tin cookie thing I keep seeing people post on FB that is something like a pregnant chocolate chip cookie meets brownie. I say pregnant because somehow they managed to squeeze an Oreo cookie in the middle of this thing. Yes, I want to lick my phone when I see that picture.

When I was pregnant with my youngest we ate at Village Inn a lot. By "a lot" I mean the hostess didn't even have to ask how many in our party or if we wanted a table or booth...two waters and a chocolate milk, coming up. I mean, A LOT. I was trying to make good food choices, but you know what tastes really amazing with an egg white omelet and a side of fruit? Pancakes! I still want pancakes, like everyday. But I keep it to a weekend treat for the most part. Substitution is the key to keeping me sane.

This new recipe includes protein powder and I thought they were really good. There is no reason you couldn't top these with real maple syrup, but this blueberry compote was way better in my opinion.

I used our electric griddle this morning. I like to do it that way so we can all sit down to eat together. So if you have one, get it out and set it to 300 degrees. If not, a pan over medium heat works too. Just don't get it too hot. Also these are best served ASAP after you cook them. I was picking the scraps off my kid's plates...and shocker...just not as good cold. This recipe makes about a dozen 4in pancakes, which fed our family of two big eaters and two small eaters perfectly. A four-inch pancake sounds small, but they are filling. And since it's the weekend, you are making (turkey) sausage too, so you'll be fine.

First, get your compote started. Combine blueberries, agave and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil for a minute or three. Who's counting? Then take a spoon and mash most of the berries. Then just reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until your pancakes are ready.

In a blender combined all the ingredients and blend until smooth. It will be thick. Spray the griddle with non-stick spray or melt a tiny bit of coconut oil and grease the surface. Then ladle the batter out of the blender and let cook until bubbles form. When they are nice and brown, flip'em, stack'em, cover'em with compote and chow down! Yum!

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

I also added a tablespoon of PB2 with cinnamon to the top of these. It was so good! If you don't have PB2 (get some) but any nut butter will be tasty.

Recipe for Compote:
1c fresh blueberries
1 tbsp agave (or honey)
3 tbsp water
(Optional 2 tbsp PB2, 1 tbsp water, a few shakes of cinnamon)

Recipe for pancakes:
1 c old fashioned oats
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 c plain non fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp vanilla almond milk (or other milk)

I couldn't resist...Her is our daughter's favorite version:

The Piggy Pancake

Is it snack time yet?

I hadn't planned on writing another post until this weekend. But like I said yesterday, kids get sick and guess what?..my kid is sick. Instead of the gym I got a trip to the pediatrician's office and a prescription for oral steroids. My poor baby is having a rough day, but at least she's resting now.

This morning I helped host a breakfast for the teachers at my older daughter's pre-school. I don't think I have to tell you how hard it was to stare down those doughnuts, bagels, and homemade monkey bread. By the time I made it out of there my sweet tooth was screaming at me. FEED ME!

After we got home from the little one's doctor visit, I got out my new favorite…PB2 and Fuji apple slices. This stuff seems a little weird at first glance. I mean powdered peanut butter...really? But it so good! You just mix it with a little water and get ready to dig in! I have it in both the regular peanut butter flavor and chocolate peanut butter. Today I had the chocolate, and let me tell you, it is lick-the-bowl good!

So, you are wondering what the powder is, right? PB2 is made from roasted peanuts that are pressed under, I don't know, a zillion pounds of pressure so the oil is released from the peanuts. What is left of the peanut becomes the awesomeness that is PB2. The best part is, for around 120 calories (for a medium apple and a serving of PB2) you can have a snack that tastes totally bad for you, but isn't. And bonus...you're getting 5 grams of protein and only 3 net carbs. It's also tasty in smoothies, mixed in your morning oats, stirred into yogurt, on toast or just about anywhere you want a little peanut butter flavor without the fat and calories of traditional peanut butter.

I couldn't find PB2 at my local store, but a quick browse on Amazon and it was on my doorstep! It is worth it people! Yum!

And, yeah, you'll all have to pardon my paper plate. Don't judge me, people. I can't be the only one who uses these things, right?

 

**UPDATE** 

I'm still in love with this snack but I found a way to do what I though was impossible...make it better. So take your two tbsp serving of PB2 and add a few shakes of cinnamon, then mix with 1 tbsp of water and WOW. It is soooo good!