Protein bars are great for an on-the-go snack, but sometimes the ones you buy at the store are chock full of refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, additives, and refined flours. Most of them are as beneficial as eating a snickers bar with a little protein. I started making my own bars and wrapping them in foil. I refrigerate them before and then throw them in my purse or bag when I'm running out the door. This way I know what I am putting into my body, and for some reason they keep me a lot more full then the ones at the store. (Probably because they aren't just sugar!)
I found this first recipe a long time ago and modified it. At first they were very dry and hard to swallow :). I added some wet ingredients and finally found a happy medium.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
3 cups oatmeal
3 cups oatmeal
6 servings of chocolate protein
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
11/2 cups milk
1/4 cup water
2 egg whites
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt.
Combine ingredients and mix well. Put into greased 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Nutrition per bar: 240 calories, 8g of fat (good fat), 16 g of carbs (good carbs from oatmeal), 22g of protein.
~Triple P Bars-Peanut Pumpkin Protein~
Another bar that I found while looking at other blogs were these delicious, moist bars! I found it on this blog. They are full of protein, and yummy pumpkin. They taste delicious. I added about 3 Tbsp of stevia to make it a little more sweet.
~ 4 scoops vanilla whey protein
~ 3/4 cup peanut flour
~ 1 tsp baking powder
~ 1 tsp baking soda
~ 1/2 tsp salt
~ 1 tbsp chia seeds
~ 1/2 cup greek yogurt
~ 1 can of pumpkin
~ 4 egg whites
~ 2 tsp vanilla
~ 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and stir in wet ingredients.
Pour into a 9×13 baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
Let cool. Yields 12 bars.
187 calories
6 grams carbs
30 grams protein
3 grams fat
Low-Carb Apple Cinnamon Protein Bars Recipe
Nutrition Facts:
Makes 16 squares
1 square = 64 calories, 2.4 g fat, 4 g carbs, 8 g protein
Ingredients
- 4 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 1/2 cup almond meal/flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 cup stevia (raw) or Xylitol (increase carb count by 1g)
- 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 medium apple - grated (large holes)
Directions:
Spray an 8-by-8 inch Pyrex dish with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine protein powder, almond meal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Whisk together and set aside.
In a smaller bowl, combine egg whites, no-cal sweetener, cottage cheese and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated and then add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix again.
Fold in grated apple and mix until combined.
Pour batter into the prepared dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
I found this recipe of bodybuilding.com. These bars are moist and yummy. They are filling and great for a snack between meals! I love Jamie Easons recipes and workouts. Visit this link to find more recipes or to view her workouts. I think you will enjoy them. The turkey muffins are excellent as well!
Another one of Jamie Eason's protein bars is:
Carrot Cake Protein Bars
Calories: 94
Fats: 1.25 grams
Carbs: 10 grams
Makes 16 squares, 2 squares per serving.
Protein: 10 grams
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oat flour
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 4 egg whites
- 3/4 cup Splenda, Truvia, or Ideal
- 8 oz baby food carrots
- 4 oz water
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix flour, whey protein, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
3. Mix egg whites, Splenda, Truvia, or Ideal, baby food carrots and water (optional) in a bowl.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
5. Spray glass pyrex dish with non-stick butter spray.
6. Pour ingredients into dish.
7. Bake 20-30 minutes.
I would have to say that my favorite bars are the "Triple P" ones. They are really moist and are delicious heated up and placed in greek yogurt or milk. I know this sounds crazy, but I also heated 2 up and put peanut butter and syrup on top. It was delicious.
****Warning-they are perishable, and may become moldy or rotten. Keep them refrigerated!
