GOURMET WHEY PROTEIN TRUFFLES

Don't let the fancy name fool you. These balls of protein are absolutely delicious and extremely easy to make!

There are a lot of recipes for whey "protein balls"—or protein truffles, as I prefer to call them—floating around these days. A quick Google search alone leads to hundreds of results.

The reason is simple: Protein truffles are one of the easiest, tastiest, and quickest things you can make with protein powder. All you need is a handful of ingredients to end up with a healthy, portable snack you can take to school or work. 

If you don't get that far—and indulge before you can even make it to the Tupperware drawer—feel free to enjoy these truffles in the comfort of your own kitchen.

If you're already familiar with protein truffles, don't fret. When it comes to these magical treats, the phrase "been there, done that" doesn't APPLY. Protein balls can still excite you the same way they always did. Just set them on fire!

I'm speaking figuratively, of course. Once you master the basic foundation of your truffles, kick them up several notches. Consider it a "Pimp My Ride" for your palette. 

Just take the humble protein truffle you've been making for years and— POW!—jazz it up, gourmet style.

To show you just how easy it is to make your own fancy protein truffles, check out these four recipes and pay attention to the extras: delicious ingredients like orange zest, nuts, flavor extracts, and cocoa powder that I added to make these truffles really sing!

1

 MELT-IN-YOUR-MONTH DARK CHOCOLATE PROTEIN TRUFFLES

Dark. Chocolate. Truffles. What more is there to say, really? This protein-packed play on the original is sure to power your gains while satisfying your craving for all things cocoa.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chocolate whey protein powder
• 3/8 cup cocoa powder
• 2-1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp granulated Stevia
• 4 tbsp milk
• 4 tbsp ground almond

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Shape dough into 12 truffles. If it's too sticky to handle, add a bit more cocoa powder to the mix. Taste your batter to ensure it's sweet enough; add a bit more sweetener if needed.
3. Let truffles set for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size (1 truffle)Recipe yields 12

Amount per serving

Calories 63

Total Fat5 g

Total Carbs3 g

Protein4 g

2

 PEANUT BUTTER LOVER'S PROTEIN TRUFFLE

The butter's back. When it comes to maxing out on flavor, peanuts are the way to go. Add to that a helping of maple extract and these are sure to be the first chocolates picked from any truffle pile—protein or not.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder
• 3 tsp agave syrup
• 4 tbsp chopped mixed nuts (or just chopped peanuts)
• 2 tsp almond milk
• 1 tsp maple extract (optional, but man oh man!)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Shape dough into 10 truffles.
3. Leave truffles to set for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size (1 truffle)Recipe yields 10

Amount per serving

Calories 54

Total Fat3 g

Total Carbs2 g

Protein4 g

3

 RASPBERRY AND HAZELNUT PROTEIN TRUFFLES

Move over, Godiva. Gone are the days of shelling out half your paycheck for a bag of chocolate raspberry starfish. Instead of being tempted by fat-filled chocolates, wrap up the delicious pairing of fruit and nuts in a protein truffle.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/8 cup agave syrup (or honey)
• 1/3 cup ground hazelnuts (or ground almonds)
• 1 tbsp almond milk
• 1/4 cup vanilla pea protein powder
• 1 tsp orange zest or orange extract
• 2 tbsp ground freeze-dried raspberries (for the coating)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together, except for the raspberries.
2. Shape dough into 10 truffles. If it's too sticky to handle, add a bit more pea protein or ground almonds. Make sure to taste your batter to ensure it's sweet enough and, if it isn't, add a bit more sweetener.
3. Roll the truffles on the freeze-dried berries. Remember that you can use ground coconut, too!
4. Leave the truffles to set for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size (1 truffle)Recipe yields 10

Amount per serving

Calories 85

Total Fat4 g

Total Carbs7 g

Protein6 g

4

 ORANGE AND VANILLA PROTEIN TRUFFLES

This classic play on a creamsicle comes in a compact, protein-packed ball. Now you can enjoy the much-loved pairing of creamy vanilla and refreshing citrus, minus the sticky mess.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/8 cup agave syrup (or honey)
• 1/3 cup ground almonds
• 1 tbsp almond milk
• 1/4 cup vanilla pea protein powder
• 1 tsp orange zest or orange extract

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Shape dough into 10 truffles. If your batter is too sticky to handle, add a bit more pea protein or ground almonds. If it's too dry, add a bit more milk. Make sure you taste your batter to ensure it meets your ideal level of sweetness.
3. Let the truffles set for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size (1 truffle)Recipe yields 10

Amount per serving

Calories 75

Total Fat4 g

Total Carbs5 g

Protein6 g