Vanilla Chia Balls

Vanilla Chia Balls

What you'll need:
1 cup of almond meal
1-2 teaspoons of Nativa (or stevia sweetner if you like)
1/2 cup of vanilla protein powder (I used Teresa Cutter's WPI)
2 spoons of chia bran (or chia seeds)
2 heaped tablespoons of natural peanut butter
1 teaspoon of coconut oil
2 table spoons of hot water
1/2 cup of shredded coconut (for rolling in at the end)

What to do:
In a bowl combine all of the dry ingredients - almond meal, Nativa, protein powder, chia bran and mix until all combined. Then add the peanut butter and coconut oil and hot water. Gradually add the water and stir as you go, (using hot water helps soften the oil and peanut butter making it easier to mix) If you add too much water the mixture can go sticky and too wet, in this case add some more chia bran or almond meal. Once happy with the consistency, take teaspoon sized amounts and roll into balls, then into the coconut.

(you wont be able to stop at one!)

Store in an air tight container in the fridge...

There are a heaps of reasons to eat chia:
1. Chia is gluten free
2. It is super high in dietary fibre, making it great for digestion and healing digestion issues.
3. It contains 20% Omega 3 ALA, making it a super food for the brain and heart. Chia has eight times more Omega 3 than salmon!
4. It boasts 20% protein
5. The protein is a complete protein with all 8 essential amino acids
6. It is high in antioxidants (It has a four times higher ORAC value than blueberries)
7. Chia contains five times more calcium than milk
8. Chia contains seven times more vitamin C than oranges
9. It contains three times more iron than spinach
10. It contains twice the potassium content of banana
11. It is food for healthy skin, hair and nails
12. It has a positive impact balancing blood glucose levels (making it awesome for diabetics)
13. Chia makes a great egg replacement. Just combine with water to form a gel, and add it to recipes that call for egg.

How much should we eat?
Nutritionists recommend that 15g/0.53oz (one tablespoon) of chia is consumed each day. Be sure to drink plenty of water as chia is very high in fiber.

ENJOY! :)