Cocoa Mint Protein Balls

My healthy kids don't need an Easter basket but they never complain when I make protein balls - or Delight Bites, as we call them. These are close to my basic, and much loved, Cocoa Delight Bites, but they have mint extract in them to kick up the Progenex Locha Mocha protein and the dark cocoa! They also have pecan pieces. They are going fast! Yours will, too.

I put all the ingredients in a big bowl.

4 scoops chocolate protein powder, piled up, not leveled off  (Progenex Locha Mocha makes the very best ones! progenexusa.com)
1 TBSP dark cocoa
1/2 cup coconut oil, NOT melted (tropicaltraditions.com is the best. Vitacost is really good, too)
2 TBSP agave nectar ( or honey )
2 TBSP raw almond butter
1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (I love the unsweetened coconut chips from nuts.com)
4 TBSP coconut milk, as needed, maybe more
1/2 cup pecan pieces
4 - 6 drops pure mint extract

Stir with wooden spoon until a dough-like look appears. It takes a little stirring, and kind of happens all at once. You may need a bit more coconut milk, or if it's too thin, you could add some more protein powder. Then I scooped them out with my Pampered Chef cookie scoop. I put them on waxed paper and popped them into the freezer. 

They were pretty incredible.

Diet Plans for Crossfit such as Paleo Blueberry Lemon Bars

I rubbed an 8 inch square glass pan with coconut oil.

 I stirred up the following ingredients all at once:
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 heaping TBSP coconut oil, melted
2 TBSP honey
2 tsp vanilla

I spread this out in the prepared glass pan and baked it in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

The next layer is the lemon yumminess.
First, I squeezed 1/2 cup of lemon juice and set it aside.

I took a saucepan and put:
 3 organic eggs
 1/4 cup raw honey (or agave nectar, if you prefer)
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

I stirred this up. Then I put it on the stove on medium low. From this point it must be stirred almost continuously or it will make a scrambled egg kind of thing on the bottom, and you don't want that. (although it will still taste good)
 While this started to heat up, I put:
 6 TBSP of coconut oil, one at a time into the egg mixture. I kept stirring.... letting the coconut oil melt and when it all melted.
 I added the 1/2 cup of lemon juice. (all at once lol) I continued stirring til it began to thicken. (If you aren't sure if it has thickened, it hasn't thickened enough. It will happen and it is worth it!)

When it was thicker, I poured it over the top of the layer in the glass pan and spread it out.
The last thing I did was wash 1 cup of blueberries and pushed them into the lemon layer. They went into the fridge for an hour and then.......WOW

These blueberry lemon bars are part of our Crossfit diet meal plans

I always double this recipe now and use a 9 x 12 pan. it's just too fabulous!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I used to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I loved them. I knew that to do a paleo twist to them, it would change the texture so I made them into cookie bars. (Besides, it's faster!) They are now very paleo, and quite delicious, but they do have some dark chocolate chips in there.  I made a small pan with no chocolate chips, just for Ger, since he's been eating so clean, but he tore right into the chocolate chip ones!!!!
Combine in a small bowl:
2 cups almond flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats ( I love McCann's, and remember: a little old-fashionaed oatmeal now and then won't spike your blood sugar like most grains.... who is 100 % paleo anyway?)
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Combine in a bigger bowl:
1/4 cup melted grass-fed butter
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup honey  (I used to make this recipe with 3/4 cup honey but 1/2 is enough for us now. Either works.)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Alternately stir in dry ingredients and 1 can plain pumpkin.
Then, add 1 -  1 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, depending on how many chocolate chips you like.

Rub coconut oil in a 9 by 12 pan. Add the cookie bar batter and spread it out. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 20-22  minutes.

                                     Remove and cool on a rack before cutting into BIG PIECES!