Home Ec: Protein Power Balls (vegan) By DREENA BURTON

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup coconut flour (see note)

1/3 cup hemp seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1½ cups pitted dates

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2–3 tablespoons Vega Choc-a-lot Protein Smoothie powder (see note)

1/4 scant teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

– In a food processor, process the pumpkin seeds, coconut flour, hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds until fine and crumbly.

– Add the dates and process through until they are worked into the mixture and are crumbly.

– Add the cocoa powder, Vega powder, sea salt, and vanilla extract and process again for a minute or two.

– It will appear as if nothing is happening for a few minutes! The mixture will just be whirring around in crumbs, but soon it will start to become sticky and form a ball on the blade. Stop the machine and remove the dough.

– Take 1–1½ -tablespoon scoops of the dough and roll in your hand. Repeat until you have rolled all of the dough.

Coconut Flour: If you don’t have coconut flour, you can substitute 3/4 cup roll

ed oats.

Protein Powder: This protein powder has some stevia, so adjust to taste for sweetness. Start with 2 tablespoons, and stop to taste the mixture before it is in a sticky ball. If you’d like to add more, try another 1/2–1 tablespoon. If you have another favorite chocolate protein powder you would like to add—go for it. If you don’t want to use any protein powder, omit it, and make these simple changes: increase the cocoa powder to 1/4 cup total, add another 2 tablespoons of hemp or sunflower seeds, and another 2–4 dates, to taste.

Idea: You can leave these balls uncoated, or roll in a dusting of coconut sugar, cocoa powder, ground pumpkin seeds, or a combo!