PUMPKIN PROTEIN BALLS
Makes 24
INGREDIENTS
½ cup fresh pumpkin seeds (if you don’t have enough fresh one, make up the rest of the amount using packet pepitas)
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup macadamia nuts
½ cup walnuts
10 Medjool dates, deseeded
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup ABC butter
2 scoops vegan vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon spice mix (¼ teaspoon each of ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg)
Pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons raw cacao (optional)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 160°C. Line a large tray with baking paper and set it aside.
Scoop the seeds from the pumpkin and place them in a colander or sieve. Wash them thoroughly, making sure to remove all the pumpkin bits from them.
Turn them out onto a clean tea towel or paper towel, and rub them dry (We don’t want any water left on them, otherwise they won’t crisp up). Once they are completely dry throw them onto the lined baking tray, coat them in the coconut oil and spread them out making sure they are not overlapping each other.
Place the tray in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden and crispy. Allow the seed to completely cool before using them in the protein balls.
Place pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts and walnuts into a food processor and blitz until it resembles a crumb-like mixture. Now throw in the pumpkin, dates, maple syrup, ABC butter, protein powder, spices and a pinch of sea salt and blitz again until it’s well combined (If you like things chocolatey then add in the raw cacao and give it one final blitz). Line a baking tray with baking paper, and using a tablespoon start to scoop the mixture and form it into balls using your hands.
Once you have rolled all the balls, place the tray into the fridge and allow them to set for at least an hour. Enjoy!
