I used to be really into protein bars, but I eventually stopped buying them because they reminded me too much of candy and they were entirely too expensive. There are many days, however, when I wish I had them around...like when I have to rush off to the restaurant at noon and there is an awkward gap between breakfast and lunch; a power bar would work wonders in that situation, right? ... Or when Matt has to go straight from a workout to a guitar lesson. Normally we end up without food since there isn't time to cook and we would rather not spend money eating out.
I have been wanting to play around with homemade granola/protein bars for a while, but have never gotten around to it. Recently, my friend Paul from church mentioned that his wife was bringing him a homemade protein bar for breakfast and it inspired me to give it a go! I watched a few you tube videos and essentially used the things I had lying about the house. Shockingly, they turned out well and my husband loooved them (which is what matters most to me, anyhow)! I was so excited and though they aren't perfect and could use a little tweaking-I'm rather pleased with my first attempt. I was going to get some dried fruit, but decided to forgo the extra sugar. Feel free to add in some dried fruit or something if you are into that. It would certainly add a lovely texture.
Also, these bars are not to be eaten all the time, in my opinion. They are for a pre and/or post workout boost. They are not to be used as a snack throughout the day... I don't really believe in snacking so please don't misunderstand me. These would also be good for a quick breakfast, although I always recommend a full meal first and foremost! :)
Oat & PB Protein Bars:
2 cups oats
1 cup whey protein (I used chocolate, but you can use any flavor combo you like)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3-4 tbsp. almond butter
3 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup dark chocolate (70% or higher-I used 99 %) *optional
1/4-1/2 cup almond milk (this may be more or less depending on if you need to add or subtract moisture-just experiment)
1 tsp vanilla
Stir oats, protein, and cinnamon together in a bowl until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. In a small sauce pan on medium to med-low heat stir almond butter, honey, dark chocolate, and almond milk together until ingredients are melted together. Stir until creamy and remove from heat. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is incorporated. It may not seem like enough liquid, but keep stirring. You don't want it to be too moist and eventually everything will come together. If you have to add a splash of water or milk then go ahead, but you shouldn't have to. When everything is combined, put the batter (which will be pretty dry) into a 8 X 8 pan lined with parchment paper. Flatten the dough so it fills out the pan and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Cut into 8 bars and wrap with plastic wrap to enjoy as a pre or post workout energy boost!
*You could experiment with different flavors, nuts, dried fruit, seeds (like flax), etc.
Enjoy!
If you have any suggestions, and/or awesome recipes you want to share, feel free to elaborate in the comments!
These sound awesome!
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