Its our first official snow day in Boston and after a wintery weekend I’ve finally caught up on some recipes for the blog. Admittedly, I always get sucked into all of the new year’s resolutions diet fads each year and every time the hardest part is giving up that something sweet, especially when the sugar cravings hit after dinner. So I am always looking for new ways to eat healthy, while still getting a little bit of chocolate into my diet. And these Snickerdoodle Almond Butter Protein Balls are an after-dinner (or anytime) snack that you can really feel good about, for many reasons. 

While you can use your favorite natural almond butter for this recipe, the real not-so-secret-ingredient is the snickerdoodle almond + cashew butter from Ground Up PDX. For us east-coasters it’s something you’ll need to order online, but it’s worth every penny. Ground Up is a not-just-for-profit business that makes healthy + delicious nut butters, using them as a means to provide employment opportunity to women overcoming adversity. My good friend Carolyn co-founded this company and it’s been amazing to see it grow over the years for such a good cause. I recently bought the limited edition Cashew + Coconut butter and I was thankful it came in a small portioned container because it did not last long.

Out of all the flavors of Ground Up I’ve tried, I always come back to the Snickerdoodle. Maybe it’s because it goes so well with the Southie Snickerdoodle coffee I drink every morning. Or the fact that I think I could put cinnamon on anything and be happy. But the snickerdoodle almond + cashew butter adds a flavorful base for these protein balls that you really don’t need to add much more. 

I’m a big fan of the vital proteins collagen as my go-to protein powder these days in anything cold because it’s completely tasteless and doesn’t have a bunch of weird artificial ingredients. In the winter when I tend to not eat as much meat, I’m always looking for additional sources of protein in my diet and so the almond butter and protein powder in this recipe make it a good source for a little protein snack. I found eating one of these on my drive home from work gave me the satisfaction to not rip open the cabinets like the hulk when I walked in the door, so I’ll take that as a win. 

So if you’re looking for a healthy snack that you can really feel good about, buy a jar (or three) of Ground Up PDX nut butters and whip up a batch of these protein balls. Enjoy!