Protein bites are one of the most delicious and instant sources of energy. There are numerous benefits to having protein bites in your life. They are the perfect replacement for heavily sweetened desserts and unhealthy snacking.

Protein balls or energy bites have opened the door to tons of flavor possibilities that can be used in the healthiest of ways.

Today, I have a delicious protein balls recipe for you. This is my take on Blueberry Muffin Energy Balls. They are sweet, full of blueberry goodness and effortless to make.

Making them is super fun too, especially with the kids. This recipe especially focuses on the cashews that are beautifully paired with blueberries.

The sweet and sour flavor of blueberries cuts through the nuttiness and fattiness of the cashews. Blueberry Energy Balls are super versatile and so well balanced that you will keep coming for more. In this blog, I'll show you how to make them and what the possibilities are of making them with other ingredients.

What are Protein Balls and why are they popular?

Protein balls are an instant source of energy and protein that are often used by gym and fitness enthusiasts.  As they gained popularity, they became a great quick source of health and protein, especially for vegans and people who are looking for healthy gluten-free options.

Theses protein balls are popular for two reasons. First, they are excellent for snacking. Just pop one in your mouth as a snack or even as a dessert to satisfy your cravings. The second is that they are an instant source of protein and energy.

During a hectic day, you may not have time to rest or take a break for meals. These protein energy balls can satisfy your appetite for a short time as well as boost your energy and productivity throughout the day.

They also became very popular in the past few years because they are a straightforward way to make a fantastic replacement for energy drinks, unhealthy snacks and desserts for anyone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle.

Main components of the Blueberry Protein Bites

There are tons of different ways to create these delicious protein bites and make them your own. However, you need to know the integral parts of energy balls or bites. There are three main components of protein bites:

1. Dry components: The dry components actually make the foundation of the batter for making the energy and protein bites. Dry ingredients are like cake for cake pops. It gives them body and helps carry and enclose the delicious flavors and that boost of energy.
2. Fat or wet components: The fat content is essential for binding the batter together. It also helps in sticking the flavors in the bite. The fat ingredients are usually wet or viscous. Many recipes may refer to the fat or wet components as nut butter. Fat components add stability to the batter, texture and add flavors into the bites.
3. Source of protein: Since we are making protein balls, it is important to have a source of protein. Whenever we think about protein, we think about fruits like bananas or seeds and nuts like chia seed, flax seeds, cashews, walnuts, and many more. But there are numerous powdered protein products out there as well for you to add and try. Most of them are healthy and completely safe for consumption.

Ingredient Breakdown

Blueberry Protein Balls are super quick to make. All you need are a handful of ingredients that are healthy and an integral addition to every vegan pantry. Here are the details of what you need and what can be used as their alternative:

• Cashew butter: Cashew butter is the foundation of the recipe. It is used as a binder due to its fat content. Free feel to use any nut butter or mixed nut butter you want for flavor variation.
• Cashews: Cashews give the bite texture and an element of crunch too. You can also add another nut for extra texture and flavor.
• Protein powder: Protein powder gives the bite body and an extra kick of protein.
• Maple syrup: This can be used for that unique sweetness. I love to use maple syrup because it has depth to it while not overpoweringly sweet. You can use agave or any sweet confectionary too.
• Vanilla: It gives a unique flavor to the protein balls.
• Dried blueberries: Since these protein bites are themed as Blueberry Bliss Balls, we are adding dried blueberries to balance out everything in the batter.

How to make the Blueberry Protein Bites

Making these Blueberry Protein Bites just requires a few minutes in the kitchen. Here are the detailed step-by-step instructions to make the process super quick:

Step #1: You need a food processor to make the bites. Add all ingredients to the food processor except the dried blueberries.

Step #2: Pulse the food processor until a crumbly but manageable batter is formed.

Step #3: Get the batter out of the food processor into a large bowl.

Step #4: Add the dried blueberries and fold the batter until combined.

Step #5: Take handfuls of the dough and make bite-sized balls.

Step #6: Once made into balls, refrigerate them to harden them up a bit.

Step #7: Enjoy them at any time of the day.

Tips for making the perfect Blueberry Protein Bites

Here are a few things that you need to know and practice to make these delicious bites of energy:

• Always pulse the batter in the food processor. If you leave it on speed blending, the heat from the food processor may melt the cashew butter and make the batter loose. It will make them hard to handle. If you add more ingredients to make it manageable, the bites will become very hard as soon as they are refrigerated.
• If you decide to use powdered confectioners sugar instead of maple syrup, then you may consider using a little more nut butter to avoid a drier batter. Otherwise, your bites will be hard to make into balls.
• One of the easiest ways to make balls even in size is by using a small ice cream scoop or measuring spoon. Just scoop out the dough onto a tray and smooth out the edges by hand. It is fast and very easy to start making bites.

Can I make the Blueberry Protein Bites ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the Blueberry Energy Balls for a week or two.  Making them ahead saves time, especially on busy days. These balls will help you go through the day with a boost of energy and delicious positivity.

How do I store the Blueberry Protein Bites?

Storing the protein balls is very easy. All you need is an airtight container. Place the leftover Blueberry Energy Balls into the container and refrigerate them. The protein bites will last for two weeks refrigerated.

Similarly, you can make these balls and freeze them too. The process of freezing them is very simple. Just store them in an airtight container and freeze for a month at the most. You can thaw them in the refrigerator on hot days to avoid loose and super oily balls and on the kitchen counter on cold days.

Serving Ideas

Blueberry Protein Bites can be eaten anytime straight from the refrigerator. But here are a few fancy ideas that can be used for making them fun to serve:

• Coat them with chopped nuts. It will add a crunchy exterior and also look very pleasing to the eyes.
• Drizzle some maple syrup or agave. Sometimes for the extra spin of flavor or oomph, it is fun to drizzle some sticky sweeteners.
• Dust with some mild-sweet, powdered confectioners sugar. It will make them look like snowballs. This serving idea is very popular among kids. They love to get their hands dusty in the sweet snow.
• Dunk them in some melted chocolate for a rich sweet treat.