Almond Butter and Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

Got a sweet tooth? No problem. These bars are perfect for satisfying your candy craving while filling your body with healthy ingredients like flaxseed and protein at the same time.

Win. Win.

Check it out! At the end of this post is my YouTube tutorial of this recipe for your viewing pleasure.

Ingredients:

1 cup ground oatmeal (put in food processor or blender)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
5 tbsp almond butter
4 tbsp honey
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients: oatmeal, flaxseed and protein powder. Mix well with a whisk.

Then add the almond butter and honey. Mix well with a fork and then use your hands to fully incorporate all of the ingredients. Once all of the dry and wet ingredients are mixed well, add in the chocolate chips and mix those in with your hands until they're evenly distributed.

Next, take the mixture which should be formed into a ball. If you have a hard time creating a ball and getting all of your ingredients to stay formed without falling apart, add in a little more almond butter or honey starting with one tablespoon -- that way you don't add too much.

Then place the mixture in a parchment paper lined 8x8 pan. Press dough into the pan until flat. This recipe can also be used to make balls. Instead of putting mixture into the parchment lined pan, roll out nine balls in your hands instead. 

Put the pan in the refrigerator for at least an hour so that the mixture can harden. This makes it easier to cut into bars.

Remove from the refrigerator and take paper out of the pan. Place on counter or cutting board. Cut your bars however you like. I made nine bars. Store either form (bars or balls) in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Here's my YouTube tutorial of this recipe. If you haven't subscribed to my channel yet, what are you waiting for?! There's a new video every Wednesday!
 

Tasty Homemade Protein Bars

I used to be a huge fan of store bought protein bars because of their convenience and ease of adding protein in the diet. But it was always hard finding bars that didn't have a lot of junk -- like processed sugar, preservatives, artificial flavorings, artificial sweeteners and soy -- and also weren't like eating a candy bar.

I recently decided to give them up altogether and make my own.

I always recommend having protein immediately following weight training. These protein bars are a great post workout bar -- having a muscle fueling combination of protein, carbohydrates and sugar that your muscles need in order to recover and grow efficiently.

Having sugar post weight training is the only time I recommend consuming sugar that doesn't come from fruit. After a workout, our glycogen (sugar) stores become depleted and need to be replaced.

I played around with the ingredients in this recipe until I got it just right. And it is good, if I may say so myself! Check it out.

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned or rolled oats
1 serving of vanilla protein powder (I used 100% Vegan Protein Powder)
3 tablespoons shelled hemp seeds
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon flaxseeds
1 teaspoon raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 teaspoon raw sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3-4 shakes sea salt
3 tablespoons raw honey (or regular honey)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of coconut oil (this helps the bars harden)

Servings: makes 4 bars

Note: This recipe is vegan, gluten free and soy free. Oatmeal is naturally gluten free but may get contaminated with wheat during the growing process. If you want a totally gluten free bar, opt for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats. Also, since I use a vegan protein powder, it makes the recipe vegan but you can opt for any type of protein powder you like (i.e. whey). And you don't have to use all of the raw varieties of the ingredients, use whatever you can easily get your hands on.

Directions:
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add honey and coconut oil. Mix together with hands for 2-3 minutes until mixture you can you can form a ball that holds together.

Next, line a loaf pan with wax paper. Pour mixture into lined pan and press down with the back of a spoon until completely packed.

Cover with foil and freeze overnight. After completely frozen. Remove lining from pan with the one solid bar.

Cut into four pieces. Store in fridge. 

Enjoy!

Nutrition data:
1 bar: calories 251, protein 11g, fat 11g, carbohydrates 31g, sugar 14g, fiber 3g