Carrot Cake Protein balls are nourishing, healthy and sooo easy to make. My kids love making and eating these bliss balls, which taste like carrot cake!
These sort of protein balls are a great healthy treat for grown-ups and kids.
My little ones got stuck in and loved rolling these balls - all that playdough practice finally came in useful.
These protein balls are quick and easy to make with ingredients that most people will have to hand.
They're also great for freezing, so you can take a few out for breakfast or for a treat.
The familiar carrot cake spices and raisins are mixed with grated carrot, oats and peanut butter and rolled in coconut.
This is so easy to make and is a go-to recipe when the kids want to 'cook'.
Cooking with children is so important.
I feel so strongly that they need to learn early on how to wield utensils, mix, stir, chop, measure... It's a fun activity for easy recipes like these carrot cake protein balls.
Some food may get ruined, some cakes may have eggshells. Some bowls may be broken and some clothes might get mucky. It doesn't matter.
What does matter is that children know food is not something that just appears on a plate. They need to know that the boxes in the cupboard and the cold things in the fridge can so easily come together to make meals and dessert.
We need to talk about food: where it comes from, how it grows, how to cook. Many of us do, but sadly, many don't.
I love Jamie Oliver and all that he's done to make the food in our schools better. But I'm worried about something. Dessert. Pudding. Afters.
Why are our children being given something sweet to end their meals at school?
Why are we teaching them five days a week that a meal is incomplete without sugar at the end? My son is five and I love that he gets a hot dinner (lunch) at school.
The only thing he's allowed to bring for his snack is water and either fruit or vegetables. He always wants either cucumber, carrots or red peppers and sometimes grapes. That is fantastic.
So why give them sugar after their lunch? I presume that since they know they will be getting custard and cake, jelly or ice cream after their carefully balanced main meal, that they hold out for the treat.
I always ask him what he had for lunch, and the only thing he can remember is the dessert. Why are they giving it? I don't feel the need to finish every meal with sugar, so I wish the school system wasn't giving it every day to my son.
The schools struggle to feed our children healthy food on a budget, so why not cut out the desserts and spend more on the meals?
I feel a strongly-worded letter coming on...
📖 Recipe
Carrot Cake Protein Balls
Ingredients
- 1 carrot peeled and grated
- ⅔ cup (75g) rolled oats
- ½ cup ½ cup (125g) peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut for rolling
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the shredded coconut to a bowl and combine. Roll into balls and then roll the balls in the shredded coconut. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Hailee
I added some greek yogurt and protein powder turned out great. Thank you
delphineefortin
What a wonderful recipe!
Sarah
These sound delicious and a healthy snack is there any way to substitute the peanut butter as my kids school is a nut free school , I would love to be able to make these for them to take to school ????
Food Ren (@RenBehan)
Love the protein balls and really love the embroidered cloth, too! Thanks for linking to Simple and in Season. Pinned and the round up is up too.
Jen @ Jen's Food
These sound really tasty with all of those spices, great way to get the kids involved too. Thanks for sharing with Credit Crunch Munch 🙂
Helen @Fuss Free Flavours
What a great idea - I am such a fan of adding extra veggies to anything. I remember getting Gypsy Tart at school - nothing but sugar - awful isn't it?
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
I actually have a very similar recipe in my book and it is one of my favourite treats. Great photos!
nadiashealthykitchen
These carrot cake balls look incredible Kate!! Love the use of spices 😀 yum!!
Tortilla for tea
What a beautifully simple but delicious recipe! We'll be trying these in our house for sure. I too share your concerns about school dinners. Government regulation covers so many other aspects of school meals now, but doesn't seem to have addressed the problems of sugar in puddings - even the so-called 'healthy' option of fruit yoghurt is full of sugar too!
renee (Mix It Bake It)
I'm amazed at what you can concoct. Another excellent veggie dessert. I like the inclusion of coconut.
cookwitch1
I just have to say here, too, that these are SO GOOD. Thank you for the recipe! I'm taking them to work tomorrow to share.
I'm thinking of making pistachio and rose butter to make the next batch, give them a sort of a middle eastern flavour. Maybe add a touch of cardamom powder, use chopped dates not raisins?
Kate Hackworthy
That sounds amazing!!! I love these, they can be adapted in so many ways. We make variations on them all the time with different flavours, veg etc... Your idea rocks!
Emily @amummytoo
They look a bit TOO yummy. I'd eat them all in one sitting 😉
Elizabeth
I know what you mean. My children get school dinners now after a stint at making packed lunches (although they're wanting packed lunches again but I've grown lazy!) and there is always a sweet pudding! These carrot cake balls sound gorgeous, pinned to try later! Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge!
Jennifer Strohmeyer
these look so good! I love getting the kids involved in making healthy treats, so much fun for them and teaches them good habits
Sally
Make it a public letter! It's such a good point probably just rooted in tradition. Both my Mother and my MIL are appalled that I have not made puddings for my family on a daily basis. I wonder why I have a mouth full of fillings and my teens don't!
Ciara (My Fussy Eater)
I feel exactly the same about desserts at school. My daughter is starting school in September and I'm really going to struggle with this.
But this recipe looks fantastic. I love making energy balls but never thought to include carrot. Have pinned!
Camilla
Love these little balls of deliciousness:-) Veggie Desserts against dessert!?
superfitbabe
Delicious! I love carrot cake 😀
Mandy
I'm so with you on the school desserts thing! Sugar really affects my five year old and I wish he didn't have such sweet things every day.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
Genius! I would never have thought to make something like this but they sound delish!