These homemade protein bars that are influenced by a recipe that I picked up from nutrition expert John Berardi are nothing less than super meals–extremely healthy and perfect for hard-training athletes.
REQUIRED INGREDIENTS
1. Protein powder
Use your favorite protein powder. Some of my favorite brands include Vega, VegiDay, and About time
2. Almond butter
Loaded with protein and healthy fats, almond butter tastes great and binds the other ingredients together. You can also use any nut (or seed) butter you enjoy such as peanut, macadamia, cashew nut, sunflower or pumpkin seed butter.
3. Spices
Spices can turn good meals into great meals. I typically add ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon, which, besides enhancing taste, work to stabilize blood sugar and are anti-inflammatory.
4. Ground flaxseed
Besides providing a nice dose of fiber and supporting heart health, ground flaxseed improves the good-to-bad estrogen ratio by clearing out harmful estrogens, such as 16-hydroxyestrone, and increasing the healthy estrogen, 2-hydroxyestrone. It also adds a nice texture.
5. Sweetener
Since the bars taste good without it, adding sweetener is optional; however, most people will prefer a sweeter bar. The only sweetener I recommend is Stevia. 1 teaspoon goes a long way so do not overdo it with Stevia.
6. Almond or coconut milk
Also optional, since you can use plain water to mix everything up, but I think almond milk or coconut milk adds an especially nice flavor.
HOMEMADE PROTEIN BAR RECIPES
Vanilla Pecan Cookies
2 scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder and 2 scoops of Chocolate Protein Powder (60-80 grams of high-quality protein depending on the brand)
3 tablespoons of almond butter
3 tablespoons of flax powder
1/4 cup of pecans
1/4 cup of Gogi berries (High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Iron)
1 tablespoon of ginger powder (immune system, stomach health, and digestion)
1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (loaded with healthy spices)
1 tablespoon of cinnamon (increases insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation)
1 teaspoon of stevia
1/2 cup of water (if too dry add more water)
Preheat oven to 425. Mix everything in a bowl with a spoon until thick paste forms. Divide into eight parts, then shape into cookies. Place on cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes.
Total Nutrition Profile (all eight cookies) :
Protein: 83.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 69.5 grams
Fat: 33.5 grams
Nutrition per cookie:
Protein: 10.4 grams
Carbs: 8.6 grams
Fat: 4.1 grams
Vanilla Almond Protein Bar
4 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 T almond butter
2 T ground flax seed
1 and 1/2 cup of water
1 T ground ginger
1 T ground cinnamon
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon of stevia
Preheat oven to 425. Mix everything in a bowl with a spoon until thick paste forms. Divide into four parts, roll into balls, then shape into bars. Place on cookie sheets and bake 12-15 minutes.
Nutrition
calories 540
protein 70 gr
carb ~20 gr
fat ~20 gr
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
2 T natural peanut butter
2 T ground flax seed
1 T ground cinnamon
1/2 cup almond milk
Mix everything in a bowl, stirring with a spoon until thick paste forms. Divide in two, wrapping each bar in aluminum foil. Place the bars in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, you’ll have two delicious bars, ready for breakfast or whenever you want a snack.
Nutrition
calories 365
protein 27 gr
carb 17 gr
fat 21 gr
Chocolate Pecan Bars
3 scoops chocolate protein powder
1 T ground cinnamon
1/4 cup pecans
2 T ground flaxseed
2 T raw almond butter
1 T non-dairy/gluten-free brownie mix
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
Mix everything in a bowl, stirring with a spoon until thick paste forms. Divide into 6 balls and place in the refrigerator for two hours. Preheat oven to 425. Place the six balls on a cookie sheet, flattening slightly with a fork, and bake for 12-15 minutes. These are delicious. Have three bars as a snack and the other three for dessert later.
