I don’t know about you, but paying $4 for a single protein bar puts a bit of a strain on my wallet. Especially when I like eating them on a regular basis.
So I came across an article on eHow.com, on how to make your own protein bars. It just gave a general outline, so I printed it out and got to work. I tried several different methods and many different ingredients.
The main thing I found is that the oats you use make all the difference. And it really comes down to personal preference.
If you like a harder, chewier bar, use old fashioned oats (not the quick cook kind). But if you use these, be prepared to let the bars sit for a few days in an air tight container before you eat them. Otherwise, it’s very similar to chewing hay (not that I chew a lot of hay, mind you, it’s just the image that came to mind when I tried these bars with the rougher oats).
If you like a softer bar (which I do), then use quick cook oats (the 3 minute kind)
Other than that, the recipe is pretty basic and very easy. Here it is:
Clean Eating Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Protein Bars
(Makes 15 bars)
Ingredients
2 cups oats – roasted in the oven without oil for 10-15 minutes
1 cup peanut butter (no sugar added)
1/2 cup agave (you can also use honey)
1/2 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
2 tbsp. grain sweetened chocolate chips
1 cup whey protein powder (unflavored or vanilla)
1 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. chia seeds
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 1 – Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. (I ended up having to knead it by hand. The dough was pretty thick)
Note: BE SURE your oats have cooled down completely from being roasted or they will totally melt your chocolate chips.
Step 2 – Spread out the batter on a cookie sheet or other baking dish (I used a half sheet here).
Step 3 – Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until the bars are a nice golden brown color.
Step 4 – Cut and allow to cool. Store in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware container.
Eat and Enjoy!
Munchkin Helpers:
If you have little ones, here’s how they can help (With close supervision, of course).
This batter/dough is a bit sticky to let kids knead with their hands, but they can certainly help stir all the ingredients.
Nutritional Content
1 serving = 1 bar
Calories: 311
Total Fat: 12 gm
Saturated Fats: 2 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 0 gm
Sodium: 4 mg
Carbohydrates: 29 gm
Dietary fiber: 5 gm
Sugars: 11 gm
Protein: 21 gm
Estimated Glycemic Load: 14
Nutritional Information estimated at Nutritiondata.com. Data may not be accurate.
Caution: Any time a child is in the kitchen, they will require close supervision. Munchkin Helpers suggestions should be applied with common sense to your own child, taking their own capabilities into account. Do not assume that because it says here that your child can do something, that they can, in fact do it. Please use common sense when in the kitchen with your child(ren).
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