Let's Have A Protein Party!

No, not the gross kind! The kind that helps build muscle, strengthen your hair and nails amongst other things! If you are a human being, you need protein. You also need a hefty serving of healthy during your day, especially if that weekend may have resulted in a three-burrito-deep food coma with a side of a whole medium pizza. This bar is almost all raw, healthy goodness and it so easy to make and have on hand when the after lunch-before dinner murderous hunger strikes!

Hello, bowl reflection!

The Ingredients:

2 Cups Rolled Oats

2 Scoops protein powder (I used vanilla)

1 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

2 Tbsp. Chia Seeds

2 Tbsp.Ground Flaxseed

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Tbsp. Raw Honey* (none of that processed shit!)

1/4 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds

1/3 Cup Dried Cranberries

1/3 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1 Cup Peanut Butter (Creamy works best)

OPTIONAL: 1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips

*If you are vegan, use maple syrup in place of honey. Agave can be sweet so stick to maple!

1. Place all of your dry ingredients in your mixer or in a bowl if you are mixer-less.

2. Add your wet ingredients to the dry mixture.

 3. Turn on mixer to medium-low and mix ingredients until well-incorporated or until the mixture begins to stick together.

4. Spray a brownie pan (I used a 6 or 7x 12 pan) with cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to the size of the bottom of the pan. The spray will help the parchment stick and the parchment will make it easier to get the bars out.  Once everything is mixed together, spoon out the mixture into your pan.

5. Press mixture into the pan firmly to make sure everything stick together. The firmer you press the bars, they better they will stay together. Once the mixture can be packed down no further, place the pan in the freezer for an hour.

6. Once the bars have hardened, cut them into 2x2 inch squares, wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the freezer! As a precaution, I would have added a bit more peanut butter to my batch because these did come out a bit crumbly. As long as I have a napkin around to catch the debris, I'm not worried about it.

Well, there you have it! These protein bars get their protein goodness from the protein powder, the pumpkin seeds, AND the peanut butter and I have been eating them as a pre-workout snack. Great for snacking when you get home when you feel ravenous. There's enough fibre and protein to keep you full until dinner without resorting to eating all the chocolate within a five mile radius. Enjoy!