Pumpkin Chocolate Protein Balls are nice little treats for your busy kiddos who need some power nutrition between school, practices, and games. The best part is they are quick and easy to make, so on slower days, these protein balls can be made as a fun family activity.

Bonding, healthy treats, and feeding growing families what they need to learn and function without injury in the sports they play. . . that’s always a win.

You’ll need some pumpkin puree (or baked butternut squash if you don’t have pumpkin), some Orgain Protein powder (I think they even make a pumpkin spice this time of year), nut butter, maple syrup, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts or pecans.

Benefits of Pumpkin Chocolate Protein Balls

According to Healthline, one cup of pumpkin purée has about 3 grams of protein, but it also packs a nice number of vitamins and antioxidants. The highest vitamins are beta carotene, for those who can convert it well to Vitamin A (think better hair, skin, and eyes) at a 209% of the RDA (recommended daily amounts–which I’m sorry to say are 80 years outdated and do not consider the toxic load of today’s environment).

Small amounts of vitamin E (22% RDA), C (10% RDA), vitamin K (37%) are also present. Minerals like magnesium (13% daily value), copper, and zinc are present too. But you’ll get another nice little crunch of magnesium in the shelled pumpkin seeds and pecans we roll these pumpkin chocolate protein balls in!

Speaking of chocolate, let’s see what God’s amazing plan for benefits is there!

In just 3.5 ounces there is 228mg of magnesium, 715 mg of potassium and 3.3mg of zinc! Our heavenly Father knows exactly what we need and places it in the food He provides! I think that’s more than “pretty cool”!

We get more beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, all of which work together to make our cardiovascular system work better!

We’re talking about a small amount of dark chocolate providing good amounts of vital nutrition that is known to boost brain health, lower LDL cholesterol, improve the blood vessel lining, and help restore cell damage.

I say sign me up for some delicious nutrition! What about you?

Devotion

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:3-4

God has used nursing, marriage, and health coaching to teach me humility and valuing others above myself. I think He also uses motherhood, fatherhood, and friendships the same way.

You and I can see how looking to our own interests falls short in:

Building relationships
Forming lasting bonds of friendship
Creating confident well-loved children
Supporting strong marriages

We see how the “heart” without Christ truly has “thoughts that are evil all the time” (Gen. 6:5). It is Christ in us who makes us yearn for better! Better relationships, deeper walks with Him, sincere prayer for those struggling, and eyes to see where there is a need and fill it!

The need for me to fill is to show you God’s divine nature revealed in the 8,000 plus antioxidants He created for us in the food He made. With all the goodness from God’s gardens around the world we can to fight the toxic places we live in and the genetic variations we have by simply by enjoying His provision.

So, I hope you enjoy making these pumpkin chocolate protein balls with your family! Don’t forget to let me know what you think!