Are you fed up with paying $2 or more for a protein bar? I sure am, which is why I’ve been making my own energy bars and protein bars for the past five or six years. The recipe changes each time, but (with the help of my mother) I think I found something I can enjoy eating for a long time.
Without further ado, here is our recipe for a maple walnut flavor protein bar:
Table of Contents
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups Oat Flour (how to make your own oat flour)
- 1 cup Honey
- 1 cup Plain Yogurt
- 3 scoops Protein Powder (1 scoop is 28g)
- 2 tbsp Maple Flavor
- 1/4 cup Organic Cane Sugar (optional)
- 1 cup Ground Flax Seed (Gold or Brown)
- 1 cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
Directions:
1. Warm the honey and maple flavor.
Warm Honey and Maple Flavor together, either on stove or in microwave. (Now is the time to add the sugar if desired.)
2. Stir in yogurt.
Add the yogurt to the mix and stir it in.
3. Mix in dry ingredients.
Add Oat Flour, Flax Seed, Protein Powder, and walnuts. Stir.
If the mix seems too wet and sticky, add more Oat Flour.
4. Prep the pan.
Spray a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with non-stick spray. Then sprinkle on a little Oat Flour.
5. Pour mix in pan.
Drop the mix into pan and spread out the best you can. It should be stiff.
6. Smooth out the mix.
Finish pressing flat and smooth with wax paper sprayed with non stick spray. You can sprinkle some Oat Flour on the top also.
(The oat flour on the top and bottom of the bars will prevent them from sticking to your fingers.)
The easiest way to smooth this out is to spray your hands with non-stick spray and then press it down; the wax paper method is used if you don’t want to get your hands messy, or if you don’t want your greasy bike mechanic hands to contaminate the food.
Pressing down with your hand will give you a smoother top, though.
7. Cool bars.
Place pan in freezer for at least 3 to 4 hours before cutting. You can leave it overnight, but you may have to let it sit a while before cutting if it gets too cold.
8. Cut bars.
Cut the bars to whatever size you prefer using a butter knife. You could do bars or bite-size chunks. I like the bites. (Speaking of bites, these tasted quite a bit like the maple walnut flavor of Simbree Energy Bites, but these were more moist/wet.)
The finished product:
Mmm mmm, they’re really good! Let’s eat!
Levi Bloom is an experienced endurance athlete who has been training and competing for over 17 years. A former Cat 1 road and mountain bike racer (professional class on the regional circuit), he is now a cycling coach (USA Cycling Level 3 Certified) and sports nutrition coach (Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified).
Can’t wait to try these
Thought I should you let you guys know about an energy bar endorsed by Washington Redskins Fred Smoot—-SMACK ENERGY BAR.
Check it out.
smackenergybar.com
@Hilton
Enjoy! 🙂
@Charles
That looks OK although there are much healthier bars out there that probably taste just as good.
How long do these bars last ? Should they be refrigerated ?
Is it possible to food-saver them for longer storage at room temperature?
I will make these today. My sports oriented teen sons will appreciate them!
@Shelly
I like to keep these refrigerated due to the yogurt content. And to keep them from getting too melty/sticky.
I don’t know how long they last though because we go through them so quickly 🙂
But we do keep extra supply in the freezer to keep them fresh, and then put them in the fridge as needed.
Would this also work with silken tofu instead of yogurt and splenda instead of sugar?
I am confused as to why somebody said above that they were unhealthy? Because of the sugar and yogurt? the honey?
-coonfused
have you ever figured out the nutritional counts for these. I made them for my daughter who wasn’t interested so I gave them to a friend who does this basic training fitness program, and she said they were awsome!!
@Norma
I’ve never figured out the nutrition facts since I rarely count calories and these aren’t something I eat often. If I start making more recipes though, I’ll try to get some numbers for the calories, fat, carbs, and protein.
Also, glad your friend liked them!
Would love to know the carb count. How about adding dried cranberries to these, does that work with freezing them?