How about a recipe and a giveaway to start off you week RIGHT!  That sounds fair to me. 

someecards.com - The worst part of my Mondays is hearing you complain about Mondays

Mondays are blah.  Giveaways and food are quite another story.

First, the recipe. 

This might be a FIRST for Lindsay’s List.  I rarely share my food creations and, well, you’re welcome for that!   Honestly, they’re rather Frankensteinish, often lacking in taste and shape.  Travis can attest.  He’s my guinea pig.  And the thing is – my failed creations don’t stop me from experimenting.  We’ve always got some sort of protein ball or sunflower butter bar hanging around.  The freezer is full of stuff.  I aspire to be this girl, but more closely resemble Lucy Ricardo. 

But I’ve finally made something you just have to try.  No, seriously.

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Made with my favorite protein powder, these protein balls are worthy of your time.  Optimum Nutrition just came out with a new protein powder, Performance Whey.  It’s  “quick dissolving”, meaning that you can mix it with a mere THREE ounces of water or milk and take a shot of protein (which I’ve done.  A LOT.).  

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I knew I had to use this powder in a baked good.  And that’s how Lindsay’s Protein Cookie Balls were born.

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Protein Cookie Balls (low sugar, high protein – makes 24 balls)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine (I use Brummel & Brown)

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/2 cup sunflower seed butter

1/2 scoop Optimum Nutrition Performance Whey Protein Powder

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

~1/4 cup liquid egg whites

1-2 packets of stevia

Directions:

Cream butter and nut butters together.  In separate bowl, combine protein powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add to dry mixture to nut butter/butter combo.  Use egg whites (or almond milk) if needed to help mix.  Fold in chocolate chips and stevia.  Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes at 325 degrees.

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**Note – DO NOT overcook these!!  To prevent the balls from being overly dry, 8 minutes is the maximum cook time!**

Low sugar, high protein.  Little balls of heaven!

GIVEAWAY TIME

The folks at Optimum Nutrition think that you should make these cookie balls yourself**.  Using their new Performance Whey! 

performance-whey

TWO WINNERS!  Each will receive a 2 pound tub of O.N. Performance Whey!!

To Enter:

Leave a comment below, telling me how you use protein powder.

BONUS ENTRIES – please leave a separate comment for each entry!

Tweet the following:

@lindsays_list is giving away TWO containers of @Team_Optimum’s new Performance Whey!!  Enter here: http://wp.me/p1Mp21-1M0

Share this post on Facebook – Simply hit the FB share button below.

Post on Optimum Nutrition’s Wall – Go here and tell them Lindsay’s List sent you!

Giveaway will run until Thursday night at 11:59pm – I’ll announce the TWO winners in Friday’s post!

Best of luck!  Happy, happy Monday, my friends!

**Don’t forget about Tuesday Trainer this week!  Theme = TABATA!  Go here for more info!**

splendid…lindsay

**Optimum Nutrition sponsored this giveaway.  All opinions are 100% mine and I received no compensation.

Join the Conversation

211 Comments

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  1. i take my protein one hour before breakfast , about 1 1/2 scoop , then after my workout i take the same portion as earlier , and at last before i sleep!

    one good recipe before bed is 6 egg whites , a handful of almonds mixed in a mixer , then put it all in a bowl with some protein powder(chocolate) and put it in the microwave about 1-2 min (y)

  2. When my mom was not looking, in high school, I used to sneak a scoop of protein powder into the pancake mix, biscuit mix, cookies, you name it. However, being a broke college student I just mix it with milk and enjoy it before and after workouts.

  3. I use it post workout and then I’ll drink a bit with my milk before I go to bed. One of the craziest things I’ve tried is mixing it with cake batter and fooling my brother that it was plain old chocolate cake. I liked it, and so did he. Also its great when you mix the powder with milk then eat the milk with your cereal, talk about chocolate milk with your cereal.

  4. I mix ON Whey and Casein (coffee, cookies and cream flavors) with Lactaid whole milk. It always tastes like heaven ^*^~

  5. I mix whey protein isolate with almond milk and pour over shredded wheat for a snack.

  6. I use protein powder postworkout, sometimes meal replacement and in my delicious oats combination(rolled oats, milk, peanut butter, thickened cream and any chocolate flavoured ON protein powder)

  7. I use protein for EVERYTHING! Especially right now – I’m in show prep (30 days to go!) so protein is pretty much its own food group.
    I have been wanting to try Performance Whey, so this is really exciting!

    :-)

  8. I am currently in the fight to get healthy (and stay healthy) so I would absolutely LOVE to try this product! Those cookie balls look so yummy!

  9. Hey there! I’m currently in my last weeks before my first competition so these treats aren’t for me just yet but ill be trying them soon! I have my protein 3 times a day and one of those servings I add to my oats for a mid morning snack. I do what I can! Might I add I really like the fact that your “to do” list included reading bible. Thumbs up!

  10. I use it in post-run smoothies – banana, protein powder, cocoa powder, & soymilk!

  11. take one scoop immedialtly in the morning to feed you muscles after the night long fast. take 1 scoop pre workout and for post workout blend 1 scoop with a banana, peanutbutter, ice, and water for an amazing post workout shake containing protien, fats, and fast digesting carbs for muscle recovery as well as replenishing your glycogen stores

  12. i use my gold standard whey to make protein pancakes every morning, gotta love the taste that ON has

  13. I use my whey post-workout. Also being a college student, I take whey shakes between meals; very cost efficient.

  14. I actually have made organic penut butter brownies with my protein before. Also, I add to my oatmeal but you have to obviously correlate the proper taste palette. Of course in my shakes as well with Penut Butter, honey and bananas!

  15. As soon as I wake up, and post workout, since I dieting. But when I wasnt. Morning. pre/post workout and casein at bedtime

  16. I’m a traditional protein powder in smoothies type of person!
    Have never tried Optimum Nutrition’s products – would love a protein powder that DOES dissolve :)

  17. oooh Oooh OOOH, I came here just to say hello and that I miss your cackle <3 and now I'm hoping to win this.

    I have to have my wisdom teeth out tomorrow (DUN dun Dun…) and will be drinking most of my nutrition for a week or so after, I hear? :)

    I'm boring and am going to say my favorite way to use protein is just as a quick snack or (part of a) meal. I can't wait to try your cookie recipe!

  18. I’d love to try your protein ball recipe! & in 11 days, I can! 10 days out from competition, protein powders (esp. ON) are my bestest friends right now! I would make muffins too – missing my carbs right now, lol.

  19. I use the protein in pancakes, pudding, cupcakes, shakes, mixed into PB2, and use it as a sprinkling on rice cakes.

  20. Thanks for the cookie recipe lindsey, looking forward to trying it, i use my powder for shakes,pancakes and have made my own oat protein bars. My fav at the moment is sugar free jelly with a scoop of protein before you set it everyone should try it.

  21. I’ve been using protein powder in pancakes a TON recently. Basically the one breakfast that has been keeping me super full on busy days.

  22. I use ON whey products post-workout and often with meals or as a replacement, it helps me hit my protein macros for the day. I’ve also shared this page on Facebook and commented it for a chance to win! Thankyou for the oppertunity!

  23. I pretty much use protein powder as a PWO shake or morning shake with instant coffee, green tea powder, whole egg, cinnamon and pure cocoa powder. It tastes great and wakes me up! But I also use it to prepare different meals when I don’t have time to cook or when I can’t eat at home. For example, at school I take with me a meal which consists of 50grs of oats, a scoop of whey, 100grs of low fat cottage cheese, a table spoon of crushed flax seeds, cinnamon and pure cocoa powder all mixed together. I often prepare pancakes and add some whey to them to enrich their protein content. Basically I rely a lot on protein powder for convenience and to safe time. By the way these protein balls looks amazing! Deffinately sth which I’ll try!

  24. Hi Lindsay, firstly I would like to say thankyou for giving us all the oppertunity to win a 2 pound tub of ON’s new Performance Whey.

    I’m not going to bullshit, I honestly just use my whey’s postworkout, before bed and in the morning with my oats (blended into a shake).

    Thanks once again, I’ve shared the link on Facebook and also posted on ON’s page ;) <3

  25. i use mine to make a great breakfast smoothie, i have also made icecream with it :)

  26. I’m pretty boring (and new to protein powder) so I’ve only used mine in smoothies so far.

  27. I don’t want to win the giveaway but I do want to make these cookies! Is this what you were trying to calculate nutrition info for? haha I like that you went with “low sugar, high protein” instead. I love you. I am sorry I failed you on TT, I’m siiiiick

  28. Of course I use my Optimum protein for post workout recovery, but I also love to make protein pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, homemade protein bars and even an all protein banana bread with it!

  29. I’m quite embarrassed to admit this but… I’ve never tried protein powders!!! There, I said it!!! I’ve wanted to, just haven’t yet. Thinks some of it lies in not wanting to spend the money on these huge tubs and dislike it- I am such a tight wad ;) lol

  30. My smoothies are made with a scoop of protein, frozen fruit and almond milk so this would be a healthy addition to my recipe!

  31. I actually like to add a scoop of protein to my coffee latte for my morning pick-me-up with an added protein boost!

  32. In the morning ASAP with some added L-Glutamine and BCAAs and 1.5 hours prior to weight training with added BCAAs. Hydrobuilder post workout.

  33. I’m going to use the protein to get big son!

    I always use Optimum so this is exactly what I need.

  34. Mix with yogurt, oatmeal, and my favorite, ground espresso beans for those before-dawn workouts :) Whey also makes delicious chocolate pancakes.

  35. I use whey powder before and immediately after my workouts. I like Optimum brands because they mix better than other brands!

  36. I use protein powder in my oats and add it to my greek yogurt after a tough workout.

  37. I mostly use protein powder post workout to start refueling my muscles and to kick start the recovery process so that I can go hard again the next round. Some times if I know that I need a low calorie/carb meal I will have an extra protein shake.

  38. In addition to pre and post training, I use it to fill the gaps in my macros during meals. Protein pancakes (scoop of whey, egg/egg whites, granola, and cinnamon) is amazing! Late night snack I put a 1/2 to a full scoop over some greek yogurt or cottage cheese. Once and a while I’ll mix it with oatmeal in the morning if I don’t have enough time to make eggs for breakfast.

  39. Lindsay, I use my protein powder blended with water in between breakfast and lunch as a AM snack, I also use ON whey right after my workout (2 scoops) with a complex carb as well to get glucose! Then I drink ON casein Choc. Supreme at night! Love Optimum Nutrition and will ALWAYS be a loyal customer!!

  40. I like to throw a scoop in with my choc., pb, banana smoothie or mix up a shake before bed.

  41. I love making protein shakes and adding some to smoothies! Protein powder, whether vegan or vegetarian, makes for a treat for me, I love how it creates a creamy texture with fruit, too!

  42. I’m kind of boring and usually only make shakes and smoothies with my protein powder. I have started to branch out a bit from finding others recipes though and have recently found a new love of protein pancakes! SO DELICIOUS!

  43. Hey Linds! This protein powder looks awesome and so does your recipe. Must give it a try! I don’t think I will have time to submit a TT video again (the boy is in town) but the workouts have been stellar. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next :-)

  44. I am in need of a new type of protein powder to change it up. I use it main in protein smoothies, but also bake with it.

  45. YUM! I’m in the same in the kitchen, Linds, but I love this recipe and idea! I use protein powder generally post-workout time in smoothies and sometimes at breakfast in my oatmeal. Thanks for this generous giveaway!

  46. I just recently started adding protein powder to my smoothies, I have a vanilla whey, and man oh man does it make them even more tasty! I also made a banana/blueberry bread last week and added a few scoops to it, delicious! :)

  47. I make a smoothie with vanilla powder than contains 2 scoops of powder, half a banana, 3 ounces of pineapple, 5 ice cubes, and 8 ounce of 1% milk. Delicious :)

  48. I use protein powder in smoothies…all the time…with spinach, coconut water, frozen tropical fruits…yummmmmmmmm

  49. I used protein powder in smoothies, mixed with plain yogurt and in oatmeal (chocolate protein oatmeal anyone?)

  50. Great recipe! I personally use Whey protein as my flavoring in my morning cereals and also cottage cheese mix that I make. I also love drinking a protein shake after my workout! ON has always been one of my favorite proteins!

  51. i use the vanilla flavor with a banana, greek non-fat yogurt and aqai powder with almond milk after my workout for recovery.

  52. Your balls look yummy. Heehee :) I just had to say that. I haven’t had much success using protein powder well. Most of the time I feel like whatever it is that I make tastes too “chalky” with the addition of protein powder, but maybe I’m just using too much! Or the wrong kind!! I sure would love to try some of Optimum’s to see what I think :)

  53. My favourite use for Optimin Nutrition Whey is mixing two scoops in a tub with a little bit of water, make it nice and thick, stick it in the freezer for 40 minutes. Mix in Blueberries and Organic Peanut Butter! Amazing dessert! ENJOY!

    Tweeted as well! Wish me luck!

  54. Hi Lindsay! Thanks for the opportunity for a giveaway.

    I use protein powder in my smoothies, to mix in with hot breakfast items (quinoa for me, oatmeal for the boy) and mixed with almond milk for a post-workout snack.

  55. I use protein powder in just about everything: oatmeal, cookies, pancakes.
    Since it’s officially spring here, I’ve been using protein powder in smoothies!

  56. Using the banana cream protein powder in pancake mix to make banana flavored pancakes. Winning!

  57. I’ve learned to make Peanut Butter Protein cookies. They’re perfect with an NO Casein shake right before bed. 1c PB, 1/2c sugar substitute, 1/2c Whey, 2 eggs, and a tsp vanilla extract. Mix, roll into balls, press w/ fork, and bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

  58. my favorite in is protien balls (3/4 cup honey or agave, 1 cup nut butter, 4 cups total of any of the following: oats, flax seeds, cranberries, chia seeds, multi-grain cheerios, choc. chips) do not cook, roll into balls and put in fridge or freeze! BUT yours look amazing also!

  59. Yum! I love it stirred into my granola and milk in the morning and have wanted to try it in my oatmeal. My husband swears by it mixed with plain Greek yogurt!

  60. I usually make a protein shake after my workouts with banana and coconut milk! But lately I have been into mug protein cakes…whoever came up with this is brilliant!

  61. I like to add a scoop of protein in my cereal or breakfast oatmeal for added nutrition.

  62. I’ve NEVER tried whey protein powder and as a matter of fact this weekend was researching it online and was planning on purchasing some!!!

  63. I use protein powder in smoothies, overnight oats, and I just made some protein muffins this weekend! I have never tried making balls before, but it’s on my to do list…and I just laughed at typing that :)

  64. I use protein powder in my morning breakfast shakes to get me fueled up in the morning!

  65. I’ve never used protein powder before but I would like to give it a try! Hope I win!

  66. I make protein pancakes when I’m tired of drinking shakes… 1 scoop of protein, 1/4 cup of oats, 2 egg whites…top it with some berries (or Maranatha crunchy pb) and sugar free syrup…tasty!

    T.

  67. I mix my ON protein powder with 8oz of skim milk and drink it after my 5:30am workouts! Helps curb hunger all day :-)

  68. I used protein powder every single day.. I’m a vegetarian and it is the only way that I can stomach enough protein to fuel my workouts! I use it in smoothies, mixed with Greek yogurt, blended with cottage cheese.. And I have multiple flavors on hand to switch it up.. I just love the stuff! The cookies look great!

  69. I love to put protein powder in smoothies and pancakes. But now I want to use them in cookies! Yours look delicious!

  70. I want this protein powder just so I can try these protein balls, they look SO YUMMY!! Otherwise, I’d use the protein powder for “normal” stuff like protein shakes, in my oatmeal or protein pancakes, etc. :)