A Little Protein for Your Pocket!

This is a total experiment.  In no way am I claiming that this will be good, or work for anyone else.  Field testing happens tomorow.  I was just so excited that concocting this stuff turned out so easy and fast, I couldn't wait to post it!

If you have been experimenting with something similar, I'd sure love to hear about it!

I have been promising myself for months to work on a protein bar that would be pocket friendly for the trail. 

Sometimes the stars align and one has to take the hint!  Three separate prompts arrived on the same day. 


The Chickenless Chick's Renaissance Cooking Challenge deadline is Tuesday. (TheChickenlessKitchen.blogspot.com)


Northstar, in search of an alternative to commercial energy bars, sent me this link for making peanut butter balls.
http://www.fitsugar.com/7000880#read-more


The new Clif Rox protein balls arrived at the bike shop, which we purchased, passed around, and pronounced "not bad".  But at $3.99, a little cost prohibitive!

Now, as delicious as the above recipe for peanut butter balls looks, Popeye and I have, from experience, fairly stringent requirements for protein, carb, and fat ratios. 

We find 18-20% protein to 80% carbs, and a very small percentage of fat works well on long rides. (3+ hours) 

Since we normally ride in heat, the snack should ideally include some salt, electrolytes, and potassium as well. 

And last but not least, the stuff has to hold up in said heat for more than a couple hours.  

Once those parameters are met , the whole concoction has to be sticky enough to hold together, yet dry enough to not turn to goo.

Whew!  Good thing it was so easy!  We're riding in the morning!

Here's the result of our first run at an experimental, and as yet unnamed, protein trail food.  It took about 10 minutes - start to finish.  

As Yet Unnamed No-Bake Pocket Protein Balls

In a food processor, pulse up:

2/3 c. pitted dates (no added sugar)
1/2 c. tart dried cherries (no added sugar)
1 tsp honey
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c. high quality protein powder (about 40 gr. protein)
1 c. Kashi Oat Cereal
1 T. all natural peanut butter (no hydrogenated fats!)

Pulse until the mix is coarsely chopped. 

Grab up a bit, smash and roll it into a ball in your hands.  It should form a firm ball and hold together. 

We thought ours was just a little dry, and added water a tsp at a time.  2 tsp water, and it seemed perfect!

Further experiment: A few balls got shaken in a plastic bag with a tsp extra protein powder to coat.  The thinking on that was to help keep the balls dry on the outside and moist on the inside. 

Know Your Numbers:

Yield: 16 balls, slightly smaller than golf balls
Serving  size: 3 balls
Protein: 9.75 gr.
Carbs: 38.4 gr.
Fat: 1.5 gr.
Calories: 189

Ready to go.
Tomorrow.
Test ride.
Test eat!

Post Script:  Field testing went great!  Did not need to dash to an Orlando restaurant the minute we left the trail.  Got a big thumbs up on taste too.  'Course it could have been the "free food factor"....