Protein Bars

Several people have recently been asking me about the protein bars that I make, so I thought I would go ahead and share the recipe for them in a seperate post. (If this is a duplicate for you, please hang with me... I did post it a few weeks ago, but it was buried in a bunch of other recipes...) These bars are WONDERFUL! I wish I could take the credit for them, but I can't... I got the recipe from Natalie Hodson and I believe it is her adaptation of Jamie Eason's protein bar. (You can find and like Natalie on FB... She is a doll and very motivational.) I love, love, love lemon anything, so I got a little creative and made lemon (and lemon - blueberry) bars last weekend. Wow, they are the bomb! I think I will try pumpkin ones next week. I'll let you know how those turn out. (The pictures in this post are of the Chocolate Mint ones that I made the other day. They were really good too.)

Following is the base recipe with flavoring combinations that I have tried and like. My personal favorite are the Lemon & Blueberry bars, but the Orange & Almond are pretty tasty too. The hubby likes the Strawberry Pecan ones best, but I wasn't too crazy about them. I also like to use chocolate protein powder, a little coco powder, almonds and mint extract for a chocolately treat. You can grind the oats in a food processor for a less chewy bar, but I like the texture of leaving them whole. Just remember, that additions can alter the nutritional value a little. And, because there are no preservatives in here, they will need to be kept in the frig. Lots of times, I will make a double batch and freeze what I won't eat in four or five days. To enjoy, just pull a package or two out and let them thaw at room temp. I put two bars in each package (which is what I usually eat per serving to get the right amount of protein that I need) and seal them up using a suck and seal machine. This is a great tool to have in the kitchen and can be purchased at Walmart for as little as $50.

Protein Bars

makes 16 bars

60 calories, 6 g protein, 5.5 carb, 1.5 g fat, 1 g sugar

*1 ½ c. oats

*3 scoops protein powder (I like BSN Lean Dessert Vanilla, unless I am making Chocolate Mint, Banana or Strawberry bars.)

*1 T. baking powder (w/out aluminum)

*1/2 t. sea salt
*1/3 c Stevia (look for Kal brand online)
*3 egg whites
*1 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I like Almond Breeze - the 40 calorie per serving one.)
*1/3 c unsweetened applesauce or (1) 3.5 oz container of fruit flavored baby food. (I always use blueberry apple.)
*1/4 Fage brand 0 % Greek yogurt
*2 - 3 t. of extract (These are the combinations I like, but get creative: 1 t. almond & 1 1/2 t. orange; 2 t. lemon with 1 T.lemon zest - great to add one cup of blueberries to this one too; and if you are making Chocolate Mint bars, 1 t. mint does the trick. I haven't been able to find natural strawberry extract, so I use orange extract for those and add one cup of chopped strawberries.)
*any nuts (1/3 c.), fruits or flavorings such as cocoa powder, instant coffee, almond butter, etc.

Preheat oven to 350. Mist an 8” x 8” glass pan with olive oil or rub down with coconut oil.

 In a large bowl, combine: oats, protein powder, baking powder, salt, Stevia, nuts & any cocoa powder, espresso powder, etc that you are using.

In a medium bowl, combine: egg whites, almond milk, baby food or applesauce, yogurt, any extracts, fruits, etc that you are using.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix. Pour into pan and bake 25 – 30 minutes or until done. Bars will be “cakey”. Store in frig. Enjoy!

Yummy Goodness: Slow Cooker Steel Oats

Jennifer, a sweet friend of mine from Colorado, recently shared her recipe for maple steel cut oats with me. I LOVE maple syrup (but, only the REAL kind without any crappy additions) and this sounded so warm and comforting, that I had to give it a try, plus it is so easy to make. I made just a few changes to her original recipe, but it turned out really good. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Plus oats are big time nutritional powerhouses - containing more soluable fiber per serving than any other grain, which helps keep you feeling fuller for longer. And, they assist in balancing blood sugar - so you don't have those yucky highs & lows which lead to binging. They also lower cholesterol and contain tons of great nutrients such as Manganese, Selenium, Vitamins B1, B2, B5 & B9.

Slow Cooker Steel Oats

serving = 1/2 cup (makes 10 servings)
154 calories, 5 g protein, 32 g carbs, 2 g fat, 83 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
note: adding 1 T. slivered almonds & 1/4 c almond milk increased the calories by 44

2 c. steel cut oats                                                                         
4 c. water
1/4 c. maple syrup
2/3 c. dried cranberries
2 t. cinnamon
slivered almonds & vanilla almond milk, for serving

Place all ingredients, except almonds & almond milk, in a crock pot. Give it a quick mix, then turn on low and cook for 3 - 4 hours.  Since crock pots vary, check after two to three hours to determine if they need to go a little longer. If you like them creamier, you can add a little more water. Just remember, you want them to be a little chewy and not over cooked or mushy. 

When they are done, cool completely, then store in a covered glass container in the frig for 3 – 4 days. Remember to cool them first, though, before covering and sticking in the frig. If not, they will continue to steam and could possibly get mushy. I love making these on Sunday evening, then enjoying a bowl full for breakfast during the week. My favorite way to eat them is warmed up with ¼ c. vanilla almond milk (I like Almond Breeze - the 40 calorie per cup one) and 1 T. toasted, slivered almonds. To make sure I get the correct amount of protein, I always eat a turkey sausage patty or a few egg whites with it as well. Hope you enjoy! I think they are really yummy!