Beautiful pink frosty protein energy snack, only 2 ingredients, and full of grab-and-eat nutrition including protein, fiber and a slew of other nutritional benefits, and sweet with fresh strawberries.
2-Ingredient Strawberry Protein Energy Snack
Popping this protein snack before a workout gives me more energy during the workout, and is quick to restore my energy after.
So I am a big fan of protein snacks. Snacks are best that have a bit of fruit and protein, and yet don’t make me feel full. This pink protein snack is vegan, gluten-free and oil-free: just strawberries and white beans.
Yes, white beans again! Isn’t that amazing?
These white beans are sneaking themselves into everything in my kitchen! But with good reason.
How Healthy are White Beans?
These tiny white packages are full of protein, fiber and a slew of other nutritional benefits. These include:
- potassium and iron, good for shiny hair among other effects
- thiamine for a boost to your cognitive abilities
- heart-supporting folate and magnesium, and
- copper to fight inflammation and..
- antioxidants galore!
And just as I found with my white bean chocolate chip cookie dough, this bean, normally found in savory dishes such as chili, is the perfect partner. Used in this 2-ingredient snack, they allow the strawberry to carry the sweetness and flavor!
I chose to use organic canned beans though I’m sure freshly cooked beans would work as well.
If you use canned, be sure to use organic, to be sure the beans don’t have additional ingredients. And I chose unsalted so I could control the sodium.
Why are Healthy Protein Energy Snacks Important?
Sometimes snacking implies eating treats that are processed or not good for you, but actually healthy snacks are an important aspect to a healthy diet.
They provide energy in the middle of the day or provide recovery nutrition after a workout. A healthy snack can also reduce your hunger needs and keep you from overeating at meal time.
How To Customize This Healthy Energy Snack
The customization possibilities are endless with this recipe. We can try other fruits or coat these in healthy chocolate! Here are a few other protein snack recipes that I created. Some use white beans, one uses cashews.
- 2-Ingredient BLUEBERRY Protein Pre-Workout Bites
- White Bean Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- 3-Ingredient Chocolate Protein Workout Snack
Interested in chocolate snacks instead? You will love my chocolate protein bars recipe and how-to as well as my recipe for Chocolate Carmel Cakes. It has a bit longer ingredient list, and but so delicious and nutritious!
And the 3 easiest recipes on the planet:
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2-Ingredient Strawberry Protein Energy Snack
Ingredients
- 1 can (15oz/425gms) white beans (navy beans, organic & precooked - I have used Eden and Whole Foods 365 brand)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries (the riper they are, the sweeter the bites will be)
Instructions
- Open the can of white beans, and rinse them. Trim and wash the strawberries.
- Pop them both in the blender. Blend up until creamy.
- Pour the mixture into molds or mini cupcakes papers.Freeze for an hour (or longer depending on your freezer temperature) , remove from mold and eat!
- Keep frozen until ready to eat, and ours lasted at least 3 days.
Nutrition
Dee Dine is founder of Green Smoothie Gourmet, a plant based recipe blog, and author of the recent cookbook, Crazy Healthy with 4 Ingredients . On this blog you’ll find incredibly easy recipes with hidden veggies for anyone wanting to eat healthier, regardless of diet. Dee has graduate degrees in immunological nutritional studies and journalism. More about Dee Dine here.
Kim
How many of these are considered a portion?
Really interested in trying the 2-ingredient strawberry protein bites as well as the blueberry ones for my pre-workout snacks.
Dee
Hi Kim! I typically eat 5 to 8 before a workout, and it feels very energizing. I have them in the morning with a smoothie. Of course, you might need more or less. Hope that helps, Dee xx
Amie
Thank you for this!! I tweaked it a little bit. Hope you don’t mind. I used my vitamix and the beans still had a gritty and powdery taste after blended up. I used bananas as well. I also put some agave and DASH of almond milk. They came out great!!
Dee
Amie, I love that you tweaked it! That’s what recipes are for, inspiration. Everyone’s machines and ingredients are a bit different so it makes sense. I’m so happy you made it work, they do sound delicious the way you added bananas. I bet mango would help too! Dee xx
D. Hinds
What type of appliance did you use to blend? I just got a Blendtec but apparently using the maple syrup didn’t give it much liquid as maybe the date paste. I can’t get it to blend totally. Ughhhh
Dee
Hi there, there is no maple syrup or date paste in this recipe. Did you mean to comment on the chocolate recipe? I suggest just adding a touch of water if your mixture isn’t blending. Hope that helps! Dee xx
D. Hinds
Oops… Yes question was in regards to the chocolate ones. I’ll try adding water. Thxx.
Dee
Terrific! I hope it works out! Dee xx
Deena Nixon
I made this today. I found it too “beany.” I will make it again though, because I love the idea! 🙂 Next time I’m going to double the amount of strawberries, leaving the amount of beans the same. Also, it took about 2 hours for mine to freeze, and the recipe says 1 hour.
Thank you so much for this recipe, I would never have come up with this idea!!!
Dee
Deena! Thank you for your feedback. I could not taste the beans using Eden and other organic brands, so it might be brand variation. Still it’s a great idea to increase the berries, you are still getting the protein! And I think I’ll add that as a note in the recipe that freezing times may vary depending on how cold your freezer is!
So glad you found the idea useful! Dee xx
Sara of Shiso Delicious
Hi Dee, genius recipe, love it 🙂
Dee
Sara, thank you so very much! Dee xx
SSEagle
Would you be able to achieve the same effect with black beans instead of white beans?
Dee
I have never tried black beans, though I do know people who make brownies out of black beans. The color would be different though. Let me know if you try it! Dee xx
Debbie
Love the recipe but allergic to strawberries . Can I change this so it has a different fruit and taste like vanilla or chocolate and still be healthy? If so, how?
Dee
Try it! I think this is a very customizable recipe! Let me know if you do! Dee xx
Tanya
Heya. Could you mention what brand of white beans you use. I’m from India and can’t seem to put my finger on which beans to use exactly.
Dee
Sure Tanya, Eden Foods has a great organic brand with bpa-free lined cans or you can just buy fresh navy beans and boil them. Dee xx
Tanya
Thank you 🙂
Toni Klonaris
How do these taste? I’m very interested in trying them, but I’m a little scared. 😳
Dee
Hi Toni, they taste like frozen strawberry ice cream bites. I didn’t taste the beans at all, they are simply there to provide protein and texture. Try it! Dee xx
Toni Klonaris
Thanks! Now I can’t wait to try it. 😊
Dee
So glad Toni! Dee xx
Carmen
Hiya, how much is in a can?? We’ve got cans of all sizes around here so weight would help 😏
Dee
Hi Carmen, I used a 15oz can/425g, and I added it above! Hope you enjoy the recipe! Dee