Lemon Chia Protein Cake Bites

I’m aware it’s still technically still winter but since that warm week we had in February and feeling that warm sun I’ve been all about lemon and fresh flavors more than usual. I’ve been on a citrus kick all winter and love pairing it with avocado in fresh salads but other meals have been a lot of roasted root veggies, sweet potatoes, and more comfort food winter dishes. Snack and protein bites I’ve made have been mostly sweet and salty like my Peanut Butter Pretzel Snack Bites. Switching it up a little I made some Lemon, Hold The Poppy Give Me Chia, Protein Cake Bites. Or Lemon Chia Protein Cake Bites for short. Despite the name and taste these are healthy little bites. The sunshine color, turmeric, yes more turmeric because I can’t get enough and it reminds me of sunny sunshine! Warm sunshine I hope to be soaking up a lot of in just over a week in California at Expo West and then vacation.

Besides lemon and turmeric I’ve also been eating more Brazil nuts again lately. I started eating more of them over a year ago as they’re good for thyroid health but I haven’t been eating them as much for some reason so I also use those instead of cashews. Chia well we were on such a kick and stopped for awhile but back at eating cha-cha-chia all the time, and great boost of omegas! To not overpower the lemon I also went with coconut flour and coconut, well and I just like coconut. So healthy, filling, oh and I decided to add in a little protein and healthy fats. What’s not to love? Well testing Lemon Chia Turmeric Protein Bites and I decided to have my oldest daughter try them and let’s just say she flipped! She was in love and thought they tasted like lemon pound cake! Not going to lie I was going for a light cakey flavor and texture (I always think my protein powder tastes like angel food cake) but when I added in the chia seeds I thought that was gone but wanted to keep them because in the process got to thinking about lemon poppy seed muffins. Which I can’t even remember the last time I had one. I just really wanted to up the nutritional benefits, even though I changed the name after her reaction and added her suggestion of cake.

So what these balls are packing besides “lemon pound cake flavor”, nutrition! Brazil nuts contain magnesium which helps with the functioning of muscles, the production of protein and absorption of energy from food. They are also said to promote thyroid function as well as support bone and teeth health. Chia Seeds are loaded with omega fats, protein, antioxidants and fiber. They are a great source of healthy essential fatty acids, eight times more than salmon! They’re also one of the most digestible plant proteins. Protein I like to use Vega which is a plant-protein (vegan, dairy free, soy free, gluten free) which is packed with additional benefits but mostly protein and turmeric for post workout recovery to fuel my muscles and reduce inflammation. Although I wouldn’t just have these post workout as there isn’t a lot of protein and I didn’t include pepper which helps the body absorb turmeric. It really can’t hurt but in this recipe it was more for color than the nutrition. Coconut and coconut oil for healthy fats and MCTs. A little nut butter for more protein, and I sweeten these little bites with honey, maple syrup, or agave. I tend to go with honey in these. Oh and for flavor no extract just lemon zest!

So these Lemon Chia Protein Cake Bites make a perfect little sweet treat! Grab a couple to get through that afternoon slump or to enjoy with a matcha latte or grab a couple post barre or yoga for a healthy refreshing treat.

Lemon Chia Protein Cake Bites
Makes 12-14 bites
1/2c raw Brazil nuts
1/3c coconut flour
1/3c vanilla protein powder (Vega Clean Protein)*
1/2c unsweetened coconut
1/4c chia seeds (Navitas Naturals)
1 TBSP lemon zest, zest of 1 large or 2 small lemon (save your lemons to add to your water)
1 tsp turmeric powder, optional
1/4c almond or cashew butter (raw almond butter or Peanut Butter & Co Bestie Cashew Almond Butter)
1/4c maple syrup, honey, or agave (local Bare Honey)
2 TBSP coconut oil, melted

Pulse Brazil nuts in a food processor until they are all broken up and you have a course crumble. Add in coconut flour, protein powder, coconut, chia seeds, and turmeric powder and blend until you have a course flour to flour texture. Add lemon zest and pulse just to incorporate it. In a bowl mix together nut butter, sweetener, and coconut oil until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into your food processor and blend until the mixture comes together, scraping as needed. The mixture will be a little wet but you should be able to form into balls. Form into small balls and then roll lightly. Place on a plate and once all your bites are made place in the refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes to set or until ready to enjoy. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freezer for longer storage, until ready to enjoy. These are best enjoyed straight from the refrigerator or within 10 minutes as they get soft. Enjoy!

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