The holidays are right around the corner, and I couldn't be more excited. As we do move in to the holidays though, it can get easier and easier to talk ourselves out of adhering to our health and fitness goals.
Whether that's compromising on our diet for the holiday treats, cocktails, or even skipping your workouts to make room for holiday activities ... the holidays surely do serve as a good excuse.
But that's all it is at the end of the day ... an excuse.
Nobody said that reaching your fitness goals was going to be easy. Nobody said it has to be miserable either!
It's all about making the right lifestyle choices and sticking to them.
Now, don't get me wrong ... You SHOULD enjoy the holidays. I'm not going to discourage you from having Thanksgiving dinner and a few drinks on Christmas.
But there's a huge difference between having a game plan to adjust your workouts and nutrition to allow for a few extra holiday calories ... and saying "screw it", changing nothing, and gorging yourself.
So make sure you have a game plan.
If you're anything like me, you'll find a way to get the holiday flavors, and still crush your fitness goals.
That's why I wanted to put together some holiday pie energy ball recipes that can satisfy your sweet tooth this year without going overboard!
Now, fair warning, these are a little high in carbs and fat, and a little lower on the protein side of things when you compare it to some of our other recipes.
However, these can be a great snack to give you some energy, satisfy your holiday cravings, or maybe even replace a traditional holiday dessert with a healthier alternative.
I personally like mixing up a protein shake and grabbing a couple energy balls for my pre-workout meal.
Just be conscious of how they'll fit in with the rest of your nutrition plan, and I know you'll love these recipes!
Apple Pie Energy Balls
Servings: 18 (1 serving = 1 ball)
Ingredients:
Balls
- 1/2 cup of Coconut Flour
- 1/2 cup of Walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup of Apple Pie Filling (Preferably one sweetened with Sucralose)
- 1/2 cup of Dehydrated Apples, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of Cinnamon Roll Nut Butter
- 2 scoops of Level-1 Vanilla Ice Cream
Protein Icing
- 1/2 cup of Swerve Confectioners Sugar
- 3 tbsp of Level-1 Vanilla Ice Cream
- 1/2 tbsp of Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 2 tsp of Cinnamon
Directions:
1. For the energy balls, start by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. If the dough is too soft, try adding a tbsp of coconut flour until the dough firms up. If the dough is too thick, try adding a tbsp of water until you reach the desired consistency.
2. Roll the dough into roughly tablespoon sized balls for a total of 18.
3. Refrigerate the balls for 15-20 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, mix in all of the icing ingredients until smooth.
5. When the balls are firm and settled, finish the recipe by drizzling the protein icing on the energy balls.
*Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Macros Per Serving:
Calories: 119
Protein: 6g
Carbs: 8g
Fat: 7g
Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls
Servings: 18 (1 serving = 1 ball)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of 1st Phorm Cinnamon Roll Nut Butter
- 1 scoop of Level-1 Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Powder
- 5 tbsp of Pumpkin Puree
- 4 tbsp of Sugar Free Maple Syrup
- 3 tbsp of Coconut Flour
- 2 tsp of Pumpkin Spice
- 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup of Lilly’s White Chocolate Chips
Optional Topping:
- 3 Crushed Graham Crackers
Directions:
1. Mix together your almond butter, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Add in the protein, coconut flour, pumpkin spice, and white chocolate chips until the mixture is fully combined and there are no clumps. The dough will be a little wet, but if it's too sticky to work with, add an extra tbsp of coconut flour until you reach the desired consistency.
3. Roll the dough into roughly tablespoon-sized balls for a total of 18.
4. Optional - If you'd like to, you may roll the balls in the crushed graham cracker.
5. Refrigerate the energy balls for 15-20 minutes before serving.
*Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Macros Per Serving:
Calories: 145
Protein: 6g
Carbs: 10g
Fat: 9g
Pecan Pie Energy Balls
Servings: 18 (1 serving = 1 ball)
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops of Level-1 Cinnamon Cookie Batter
- 1 cup of Chopped Pecans
- 8 oz of Dates, pitted
- 1 cup of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
- 3 tbsp of Sugar Free Maple Syrup
Directions:
1. Put the dates into a food processor until the dates turn into a paste. (You can mix the dates in a blender, just mix it together with all the ingredients in small batches to ensure they are properly combined).
2. Once you have blended your dates, add in the pecans, oats, vanilla, and sugar free maple syrup to the food processor until a sticky, dough-like consistency has formed.
3. Roll the dough into 18, tbsp sized balls. If the dough is too dry, add a tbsp or more of water or maple syrup.
4. Place the balls in the freezer to sit for 30 minutes before serving.
*Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Macros Per Serving:
Calories: 117
Protein: 4g
Carbs: 14g
Fat: 5g
