Store bought protein bars are great in a pinch when you need something in between meals and didn’t have time to pack a proper snack. But so often they are filled with too much sugar and extra additives that we can really do without. I much prefer to make some sort of muffin or bar myself so I know exactly what the ingredients are. Making protein rich snacks can be a challenge but adding in protein powder is one way to make this much easier.
Have you ever gone and bought the latest, greatest new protein powder on the market only to find yourself disappointed with with the taste or texture? It may have sounded like the perfect blend- plant based, no sugar or artificial sweeteners,plus has added super foods but unfortunately didn’t taste quite as good as promised. I think this is a pretty common mistake! So instead of throwing out those protein powders that you are never going to use in a shake, how about putting the good nutrition to use and making your own protein bars.
This recipe is packed with some of my favorite super foods and meets all of the requirements- unprocessed carbohydrates, healthy fats, fiber, and quality protein. They are super quick and easy to make, keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze well when you need something to grab and go!
These protein bars are also gluten and dairy free.
Bananas provide quick energy and are an easy digestible carbohydrate, the healthy fat from the peanut butter helps keep you feeling fuller longer, Â the whey protein helps to replenish your muscle tissue and the super food benefits of chia seeds and raw cacao powder top this off.
2 bars provides 14.5 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber for a total of 334 calories.
The protein powder is optional of course, my nutritional stats were based on adding 2 scoops of protein powder which contained 24 grams of protein (3 grams per serving).
Ingredients
- 5 bananas
- 1 cup raw cacao powder
- 1 cup of all natural peanut butter
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 scoops or 1 cup protein powder
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- First blend bananas until soft.
- Add all other ingredients except chia seeds and blend well.
- Stir in chia seeds until mixed.
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- Spread batter in pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.Depending on the size of your pan and thickness of bars you may have to adjust baking time.
- Cool in pan and cut into 16 bars.
Bananas are loaded with energy and provide one of the best natural sources for potassium. Numerous studies have found potassium to reduce blood pressure, protect against the hardening of the arteries, prevent strokes, boost bone health, and boost overall heart health.
Chia seeds are a food that gives you high sustained energy, high fiber, and high perfectly digestable protein for muscle, and tissue regeneration.
Whey Protein Powder provides you with the full scope of amino acids. These amino acids are the building blocks of muscle, playing a crucial role in the repair, maintenance, and protection of muscle. Whey protein is also highly digestible, it’s the only food that has scored a 101 out of 100 on the bio availability scale! This means your body will be extremely efficient at breaking down and utilizing the nutrition within. Even if you don’t work out, whey protein can still be beneficial.
Raw Cacao Powder is super high in fiber, it can improve your memory, reduce heart disease, shed fat, boost immunity, and create loads of energy. It may surprise you to discover that raw cacao contains nearly four times the antioxidant content of regular processed dark chocolate, 20 times more than blueberries, and 119 times more than bananas.
All Natural Peanut Butter is a super food sports food. It is satiating and satisfying, and with the combination of protein and fats it helps keep you feeling fuller longer.
This recipe was adapted and inspired from The Betty Rocker!
