The BEST Apple Pie Protein Bites - Low Carb and PSMF

These are the BEST Apple Pie Protein Bites ever! Plus, since they are so easy to make, low in carb, high in protein and perfect for a protein-sparing modified fasting day, you will be making these all the time!  Pack them in your lunch or your kids' lunchboxes for a protein-packed treat. 

this recipe

Low Carb Apple Recipe

A while ago, I mentioned that one of the goals of this blog was to make easy recipes so that convenience food would become obsolete in your kitchen.

Simple, healthy and easy are the name of the game when it comes to this blog.  And these Apple Pie Protein Bites definitely fit into that category!

Using only a single bowl and spoon, I created a gluten-free, low carb apple recipe that will keep you coming back for more!

Plus, these apple pie protein bites clock in at over 8 grams of carbs per bite, with just over 1 gram of net carb! That means that these healthy apple pie bars are not only low in carb and sugar-free but also perfect for a protein-sparing modified fasting day!

PSMF Protein Bites

For those of you who have been following me, you know how much I love fasting. From my Personal 5 Day Water Fast which helped me treat my SIBO, I have been working on creating more and more PSMF recipes.

Since these apple pie protein bites only contain 1 gram of net carbs and over 8 grams of protein, you can enjoy one of these on a PSMF day and not break your fast!

(ps - If you have NO IDEA what I am talking about when I mention PSMF, then check out this blog post for a deeper dive into the topic)

Best Types of Protein Powders for Making Low Carb Protein Bars

The only "tricky" part to this recipe is picking the right protein powder. I like to use Nutricost Vanilla Casein along with a little The Fittest Butter Vanilla Carnivore protein powder. Feel free to use any of the following brands.

Pea protein - This type of protein is great for anyone following a plant-based diet.  This protein powder can be tolerated by anyone who suffers from lactose intolerance (approximately 65% of the population!) as there is no milk in this product.  Companies like Vega and Orgain are my favourite.  Organic and not filled with any additives, these brands also taste great.

Brown Rice Protein - Rice protein powder is an excellent supplemental source of dietary protein for vegetarians and vegans that cannot use animal / milk-based proteins. It is made from extracting rice proteins from sprouted brown rice.  Slightly higher in carbs than other types of protein powders as well as in price than other types of protein powders.

Egg White Protein - Not suitable for plant-based diets, this protein does not contain any milk so it is a good option for lactose-intolerance (up to 65% of the population!) diet.

Casein Protein - This powder is derived from the protein molecules found in milk.  Not suitable for anyone with lactose intolerance, it is readily available as well as the cheapest option.  Be careful with this type of protein as many companies use additives to enhance their product.

Can you use whey protein powder to make these bars?

I do not suggest using whey protein powder.  Although this is the most commercially available type of protein powder on the market, it is not plant-based and is also not good if you are lactose.  Whey protein powder became very popular with weight lifters as it is quickly absorbed by the body and hence, helps with building muscles. In order for this to be accomplished, whey protein powder is already in a digestible form.  Because of this, whey protein powder has a tendency to stay somewhat sticky and does not bind very well.

Ingredients for this Low Carb Apple Recipe

Here is all you will need for this low carb apple recipe:

• Seed or Nut butter - I used Sunbutter to make these healthy apple pie bars but any nut or seed butter will work.
• Sugar-free Maple Syrup - I used Lakanto but any type will work. You can also try using sugar-free honey, liquid allulose or Tapioca Fiber Syrup.
• Apple Sauce - You will only need ¼ cup of unsweetened apple sauce. Although apple sauce is not naturally sugar-free, by using only ¼ of a cup, we are only adding 5 grams of carbs to this entire recipe.
• Vanilla protein powder - These apple pie protein bites recipe was specifically designed using casein (see above for variations)
• Apple Pie Spice Mix - You can use homemade apple pie spice mix or store-bought.
• Optional - Sugar-free sweetener and salt - After creating the dough for the PSMF protein bites, taste a tiny bit of the dough and add any additional sweetener or salt
• Optional - Sugar-free Confectioner Sweetener - I like to roll my apple pie protein bites with an additional dusting of Swerve Confectioner Sweetener but this is purely optional.

How to make Apple Pie Protein Bites

This recipe involves only a bowl and a spoon.  I only took a couple of pictures along the way as there is really only a couple of steps.

Step 1 - Add the wet and the dry

• In a large microwave bowl, add the seed butter, sugar-free maple syrup and unsweetened apple sauce. Heat the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds.
• Next, stir in some of the casein and apple pie spice mix.

• Keep adding more protein powder until the dough can be kneaded by hand and not stick to your hands. Taste the dough and add additional sweetener and/or salt.
• Place the mixture in a bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm slightly

Step 2 - Roll into Bites

• Using a small cookie scoop, scoop equal servings and roll between the palms of your hands. Repeat with all the remaining dough.
• If desired, add some sugar-free powdered sweetener (or some additional protein powder) and dust your hands with the powder. Roll the apple pie protein bites again, coating each one in powder.
• Store in the fridge

Low Carb Protein Bars Tips and Tricks

• If your mixture seems too wet, add more protein powder or almond flour
• If your mixture seems a little dry, add 1 tablespoon of sugar-free maple syrup or sugar-free honey.
• If your mixture is not sweet enough, add additional sweetener until the desired sweetness has been reached
• If you do not have vanilla-flavoured protein powder, add a little imitation vanilla.  If you use vanilla extract, there will be a mild alcoholic taste.

Print