How to Make Your Own Protein Bars at Home

Protein bars are all the rage these days!

Crushed a workout? Protein bar.

Rushing out the door with no time for breakfast? Protein bar.

Going on a road trip? Protein bar. 

These snack foods have become popular with the rising demand for convenience foods to sustain our busy lifestyles. 

For those wanting convenience paired with nutrition, a protein bar can come in handy in moments of need. 

Though there are many clean brands available these days, many are still full of refined sugars, inflammatory oils, conventional dairy, additives, and artificial flavors and colors.

Our solution? DIY protein bars! The best way to get what you want is to do it yourself, simply put. So whether you want a healthy peanut butter or chocolate chip protein bar to satisfy your tastebuds and your nutrition needs, the choice is yours!

Wondering how it's done? Read on to find out.

Peanut butter bars

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
2 tbsps organic peanut butter
2 tbsps coconut oil
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in a food processor  until you reach a sticky texture, add water if needed  Line a square baking pan with parchment or wax paper. Pour the mixture onto the pan and smooth out evenly with a spatula. Store in the freezer for at least an hour. Transfer to the fridge and slice into bars.

Chocolate chip protein cookie bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• ⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 scoops  vegan vanilla protein powder
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 chia egg (1 tablespoon chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water)
• 2 tbsps almond butter
• 2 tbsps pure maple syrup 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a medium-sized baking dish with 1 tbsp coconut oil. In a small bowl, stir the chia and water and allow to thicken for a few minutes. In a separate bowl mix all of the dry ingredients well together. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until you have a sticky texture. Pour dough into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into even pieces and serve! Store in the fridge for later consumption.

Recipe modified from Sweet Simple Vegan

Trail mix protein bars

Ingredients

• 1.5   cups   nuts and seeds of choice  ( pecans, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds...)
• ½   cup   flaked coconut
• ½   cup   dried fruit of choice  (blueberries, cherries, cranberries...)
• 1   tablespoon   chia seeds
• Pinch of sea salt
• ½   teaspoon   Ceylon cinnamon
• ½   cup   nut butter
• 1-2 tbsps pure maple syrup
• 1  tbsp  liquid  coconut oil
• 1   tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Line a baking pan with parchment paper and grease with 1 tbsp coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients well together until a sticky mixture is formed. Pour mixture onto the baking pan and even out with a spatula. Store in the fridge for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars. 

Recipe modified from Bakerita 

Cashew cookie dough protein bars

Ingredients

6 tbsps cashew butter
2 tsps  raw honey
1 tbsp  coconut flour
3 tsps  vanilla almond milk
10 – 15 g organic dark chocolate
2 – 4 scoops  Kaizen Pure Native Whey Isolate Protein  (vanilla or chocolate)

 Check out the full recipe with instructions  here.