Better-for-You Pre-Workout Energy Balls
Fuel your workouts better with these better-for-you pre-workout energy balls.
Higher in fiber and made with beans, they’re a yummy treat!
I’ve been doing this recipe development and food blogging thing for quite a while now.
And one thing I’ve come to realize is that *my* style of recipe development and preferred eating/cooking doesn’t have a really tidy, Instagram-niched, hashtag-friendly, Pinterest-trending label.
And that’s a recipe for failure in most experts’ opinions.
The other thing I’ve realized is that I simply don’t care anymore.
That’s not to say I don’t care about YOU, the regular visitor who’s here to see what I’m up to. I love you! Thank you for being here.
Nor does that mean I don’t care about the random passer-by who’s just here to hop in and out to grab a yummy recipe for some peanut butter energy balls. I’m glad you found me. Thanks for stopping by!
I just don’t care about forcing myself into the kitchen to ONLY develop recipes that fit a very specific label and niche.
What I eat personally and cook for my family often doesn’t fit neatly into ONE category — with the exception of this seldom-mentioned one:
BETTER FOR YOU
I know what you’re thinking.
“Better for you… what does that even mean?”
Well, that depends, doesn’t it?
Better for you compared to what?
Well, in the case of these Pre-Workout Energy Balls, better for you than some of the popular energy balls online and likely better for you than a pre-workout snack you’d grab at the store.
(Note: I didn’t say those were BAD for you. That’s not the point. Better doesn’t mean those are bad. It just means these are better, IMO.)
Better for you, how?
Well, for starters, this recipe has more fiber than many of its competitors by using canned beans, ground flax seed, and coconut flour.
It has a roughly 4:1 Carbohydrate to Protein ratio, the same ratio experts recommend for fueling BEFORE a workout.
It’s considerably lower in added sugar than many pre-workout energy balls, but still tasty! I use my favorite natural non-nutritive sweeteners, Swerve brown, and a little bit of allulose. And, I opted for sugar-free chocolate chips.
Are they vegan? No. Are they keto? Um, No. Are they sugar-free? No again.
(You see where I’m going with this right?)
These better-for-you balls may not be primed for the viral life on Pinterest or Instagram, but they are perfectly suited for anyone who – like me – just wants to enjoy good food that’s a little bit better-for-you. ~Regan
Recipe Notes About Pre-Workout Energy Balls:
- I opted for fairly simple ingredients and did not to use protein powder in these, but you could easily add an unflavored whey, pea, or egg protein powder.
- I recommend eating two of these about 1 to 1 1/2 hours before a workout with a glass of milk. They provide a nice steady source of fuel for blood sugar levels. Testing them I found my energy level stayed steady through a pretty tough workout. They would also make the perfect snack, post-workout or even an afternoon snack.
- If you have teen athletes with higher energy needs, you could opt for regular brown sugar and regular chocolate chips. While increasing added sugar in recipes isn’t always the first thing you see a dietitian like me recommending, some teen athletes do simply need more calories! These would still fall under the “better for you” category for them, given the higher fiber content as compared to other protein balls.
Hi, I’m Regan — a registered dietitian, professional recipe developer, and the creator of This Baking Life.
I bake with less sugar and smarter carbs in mind (though you’ll find plenty of full-sugar favorites here too!), so you can enjoy a real dessert without overthinking every bite.
If you make this recipe, tag me @ReganJonesRDN so I can see what you’re baking!
Dietitian Insight
What Makes a Recipe "High Fiber"?Print
As a dietitian, I consider a baked good high in fiber when it delivers at least 4 grams of fiber per serving — a meaningful amount in a category where most desserts have little to none. (For reference, the FDA's official "excellent source of fiber" claim starts at 5.6g per serving, and "good source" starts around 2.8g; every recipe in this category meets or exceeds the good-source line, and most clear the higher bar.) Fiber numbers on this site are calculated using a detailed, ingredient-by-ingredient nutrition analysis process, including USDA reference data and manufacturer labels for branded ingredients.
Better-for-You Pre-Workout Energy Balls
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 24 balls
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1/2 cup ground flax seed
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 6 Tbsp. Swerve brown
- 3 Tbsp. almond milk
- 3 Tbsp. allulose or other low- or no-calorie sweetener
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. coconut flour
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (I used One Degree Sprouted Rolled Oats), divided
- 2/3 cup sugar-free chocolate chips (I used Lily’s)
Instructions
- Pulse first 10 ingredients (chickpeas through salt) in a food processor until smooth. Add 1 cup of the oats; pulse just until blended. Transfer to a medium bowl or large bowl. Stir in the rest of the ingredients – the chocolate chips and remaining 1/2 cup oats.
- Cover dough, and chill for 1 hour.
- Spoon out evenly into 24 balls. (Cookie scoops work well for this.) Store in refrigerator in airtight container.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-Bake
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 207
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
Here’s another no-bake recipe you’ll enjoy!
Powdered Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Want more recipes using canned beans, try these White Bean Blondies!
I didn’t make the recipe because I didn’t see a substitute for Swerve. Do you have any?
I use stevia, coconut sugar, maple syrup, date syrup, honey, and on occasion unrefined brown or dark sugars more in their natural states. I stay away from other processed or refined sugars.
Hi Carol – If you want to use brown sugar, you could use a similar amount. If your stevia is a cup-for-cup substitutute for sugar, you’d use the same amount as the Swerve called for. Hope that helps! ~Regan