Make it with me - Ricotta Pound Cake Birthday Bites

I'm always excited to try a new dessert recipe, especially when it includes my favorite nutrient-dense ingredient. In honor of my birthday, here's a recipe from the BODi blog - birthday bites!!

They're super simple to make so let's get right to it!

Ingredients

• ¾ cup / 186 g part-skim ricotta cheese
• Cheesecloth
• ¼ cup / 20 g unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2-3 all-natural food coloring
• 1 serving vanilla protein or meal replacement powder (I use 1 scoop Vanilla Whey or Vanilla Plant-Based Vegan Shakeology for extra nutrients)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. coconut sugar
• ¼ tsp. finely grated lemon peel (lemon zest) note: the original recipe calls for the 1/4 tsp but I used the zest of an entire lemon because... well... I realllly like lemon!!

Instructions

1. Place ricotta cheese in cheesecloth; squeeze to release excess moisture. Set aside.
2. Place coconut in a small resealable bag (or small bowl); add food coloring. Seal bag and shake until coconut is uniformly colored; pour onto a small plate. Set aside. If doing multiple colors, split the coconut into different bowls or bags for each color.
3. Add protein / meal powder / Shakeology, ricotta cheese, extract, sugar, and lemon peel to a separate small mixing bowl; mix until well combined.
4. Using clean hands, roll mixture into 12 equal balls. Roll each ball in the coconut mixture; place on a plate. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

For those following the portion container plan, 1 of these bites = 1/2 orange container.

Don't forget - my preferred customers and fellow BODi partners get 25% off of their BODi purchases. Want to know more? Hit me up at gabi@gabiford.com for more info!