Yesterday.was.nuts. Almonds… not peanuts 😉
I know I said I was looking forward to getting back into a normal routine after the holidays, but yesterday was not normal — either that or I lost some of my work-related fitness after taking a few weeks off for Christmas vacation. Should have been doing [number] crunches or something. Dang. But I digress.
I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve posted a recipe here on Spoons, and that’s probably because… well… it has been [what feels like] forever. The last one was the holiday cookie energy bites that I posted waaaaaay before Christmas, so I’m well overdue for another — especially since my goal this year is to share more recipes. So… here’s one for granola bars! (how’s that for an intro? 😉 )
And because that picture makes them look kind of puny and insignificant, here are some better ones…
Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about… It almost looks like those one of those fancy glamour shots they take of McDonalds’ Big Macs… Except that when you make these, they actually come out looking like they do in the picture, and not like that sorry excuse for meat, lettuce, and bread that they throw at you and try to pass off as a burger. But I digress.
I’m picky when it comes to my granola bars, and it pains me to say that none of the pre-packaged ones have been able to live up to my standards. Okay, that’s not even close to being true. The reality of the matter is that it pains me to say that I have no idea whether or not the pre-packaged bars would live up to my standards because I can’t eat 99.99% of them — let’s just say that “may contain traces of peanuts” is definitely up there on my list of phrases I hate to hear the most. But, again, I digress. The point is… what? (brain fart). AH! The point is, if I want a bar, I have to make a bar; and when I make a bar, it has to be juuuuuuuuust right.
This means: soft, chewy, dense, chocolatey, nutritious, and filling. In other words, these:
I’d love to know if you make this (or any!) recipe! Tag @runwithspoons on Instagram and Twitter, and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy and delicious recipes straight to your inbox!
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Soft and Chewy Protein Granola Bars
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups (160 g) quick oats
- 1/2 cup (40 g) vanilla protein powder
- 2 Tbsp (14 g) ground flax
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (64 g) almond butter (or any nut butter)
- 1/4 cup (80 g) honey, or brown rice syrup if vegan
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (60 g) mini chocolate chips (dairy-free if vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare an 8×8 (20x20cm) baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, protein powder, flax, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine almond butter, honey, almond milk, and vanilla. Mix until fully combined. Pour wet mix into dry mix and stir until fully incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour into prepared baking pan. Using a spatula or your hands, spread the mixture evenly in the pan, pressing down firmly.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until edges begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes before cutting into bars.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
Click here for nutrition facts.
Bars are one of my favourite snacks because of how portable and filling they are. I’m sure there are a lot of great storebought bars out there, but for those of us who have allergies, or who are looking to save some money, homemade bars are the way to go — not only are they a breeze to whip up, but you can customize them to your heart’s content… Not feeling chocolate? Toss in some raisins, dates, or dried cranberries instead. Need a little extra oompf? Add some nuts, seeds, or coconut shreds. The possibilities are endless, and the results are delicious.
Enjoy your Tuesday, friends! And don’t forget to start Thinking Out Loud 😀
I don’t have protein powder! Do you think if I use almond meal/flour it will work just as well? Thanks!
You could definitely sub out the protein powder for flour or oats, but you might have to adjust how much milk you use.
These bars are fantastic! Ive made them three times already and cannot get enough of them, my clients love them as well. Can we provide me with the calorie count please?
Hi Gena! I’m sorry, but I don’t calculate the nutritional value of my recipes — I just focus on using wholesome ingredients.
I made these last night and they are awesome! Thank you for the recipe. I used chocolate protein powder as it’s all I had. What a great, great recipe. I also did the calorie count on MyFitnessPal and they came to about 205 calories each (for an 8 Bar Recipe), with 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of sugar. My husband said they tasted “professional.”
Thank you, Amanda! I’m glad you enjoyed them 😀
I made these yesterday and I’ve already eaten half… YUMM.
UMM OMG. i made these today and they are so so good!! first granola bars i ever made that didn’t fall apart. i love them so much. want to make them all the time. thanks!!
i am so glad you are posting more recipes! they are always so simple and tasty. case in point, i’ve made these 3 times already and am going to whip up another batch as soon as i post this comment! thank you for such lovely treats!
so i think i may love these bars a little toooo much (is that possible?) and was wondering while i was making my 4th batch yesterday, would it be possible to make these no-bake? if i left them in the fridge or freezer for a few hours, do you think they’d come out as tasty?
Hmm… They would still taste good (I’ve eaten plenty of the batter raw), but I’m not sure they would actually set without falling apart later. You can always give it a shot, and then just throw them in the oven if it doesn’t work out.
Aww, I remember my little homemade protein bar phase! I made some coconut almond cranberry ones that were DEEEEElicious, but sadly, not nearly as pretty as yours! http://www.kissmybroccoliblog.com/2012/08/06/my-addiction/ It’s funny, because it all started with me trying to recreate a packaged almond butter bar…only my finished product was NOWHERE even close! Haha!
Favorite add ins: chocolate chips, coconut, and rice crispies! I love a little crunch with my chew!
FYI, Can you BELIEVE that after the announcement of your broccoli bombing this morning, the hospital had the nerve to get busy! I mean, geez…it’s like we just ANYONE walk through our doors! 😉
😆 I actually noticed the subtleness of this morning’s bombing… But the evening more than made up for it 😀
YUM thanks for sharing. I’m going to try to make this this weekend, pinning now so I don’t lose the recipe.
These have just been saved to my email and my to-do list 🙂 I’ve been looking for something else to pair with my yogurt or just my afternoon hunger! Thanks for the recipe!
These look amazing!! Must make these for sure.. I saw them on your instagram so figured I’d come to the site to see how you made them =) Haven’t been on here in sooooo long. Miss blogging but yours is one of my fav to read. Looks like you’re doing amazing girly