Maple Pecan Protein Bars

Hola!

It's Friday!

And I've got a treat for you!

In the form of protein snack bars.

So what are these bars like, you ask?

Well, they're soft, thick, and they taste like maple-pecan bliss coated in a thin layer of extra dark chocolate. The texture and flavour is so good. And you know what else? To top it all off their really easy to make.

I added 1/2 a cup of North Coast Naturals vanilla iso whey protein powder to rev up the protein in these bars. This protein powder is truly one of the best I've tried in terms of taste and blend-ability. So creamy + smooth! You can substitute your favourite vanilla protein to veganize these bars of course. Just make sure that whichever protein powder you use, it tastes good, because you will taste it.

I actually made a double batch of these, pressed them into my trusty 7 x 5 baking dish, and cut the bars in half. That's why they look bigger in the above photo without the chocolate coating. The nutrition is the same as the single batch that makes 6 bars, but making the double batch this way gave the bars a nice height.

The combination of pecans and coconut sugar is out of this world. Plus it also provides your body with some good functional fuel.

These are perfect as a pre or post workout snack. They do best when stored in the fridge. They hold up pretty well for short periods of time when they've been out of the fridge, but they do tend to soften up a bit and get sticky.

Once you start making your own homemade energy/ protein bars you'll quickly realize how much better they taste than the store bought ones. Especially when you know 100% exactly how much of what ingredient went into them.

Adapted from Protein Pow

Maple Pecan Protein Bars

by Jennifer Trennum

Keywords: food processor no-bake snack grain-free gluten-free vegan option soy-free protein low-sodium almond flour chocolate maple syrup almond milk bars

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Ingredients (makes 6 bars)

• 1/2 cup (50 g) vanilla whey protein powder (I used this one by North Coast Naturals)
• 1/3 cup (40 g) pecan halves
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp lucuma powder (optional)
• 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp maple extract
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (40 g) dark chocolate

Instructions

In a food processor, mix together vanilla protein powder, pecan halves, ground almonds, coconut sugar, and lucuma powder until smooth. Add in the almond milk, maple extract, and maple syrup. Mix well to combine.

Shape the dough into 6 bars using your hands or firmly press into a 7 x 5 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Place the bars in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up. If using the baking dish method, slice into 6 bars. Place the individual bars on a baking tray lined with a sheet of tin foil or parchment.

Melt the dark chocolate in a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of water on low heat. Dunk the bars into the melted chocolate or spoon the chocolate over them to coat. Return the bars to the lined baking tray. Garnish with a pecan on top of each bar and place in the freezer to set.

Store in the freezer for a week or longer in an air-tight freezer bag or container.

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Now bring on the weekend!

Peanut Butter Protein Fudge

It feels like a lifetime ago that I last made a post, but I'm back today. And this time I brought fudge. Without all the excess refined sugar, corn syrup, and butter of course.

This was my first time making healthy fudge, and now that I have a base recipe figured out it's definitely something I'm going to be experimenting more with. This one was a hit!

This protein fudge is the perfect satisfying treat or snack with it's creamy, soft + sweet characteristics. It literally melts in your mouth.

It starts with a base of honey, natural peanut butter, and a hit of pure vanilla extract...Just a few of my favourite things. The smell of this combination will have you salivating in anticipation. As hard as it may be, try not to stick your whole face in the bowl. Trust me it wont fit ;) 

Just make sure you use smooth peanut butter and not crunchy. You want the end result to be nice and thick and smooth.

Next we add in the protein powders. I used a combination of North Coast Naturals iso whey protein and brown rice protein, but feel free to use your favourite brand. The reason I used a combination of whey and brown rice protein powders is for texture. You can also substitute pea protein for the brown rice if you prefer.

You wouldn't want to use pea or brown rice protein as a base in your shake because of it's different smell and taste, but they both do excellent when blended with other ingredients; like in this fudge recipe. Just think of them as a protein powder to replace regular flour. They add a wonderful bready + doughy texture to sweet and savory recipes.

Easy as pie! Or fudge in this case.

The only thing that wasn't easy was taking these photos. You see you need to keep these in the fridge or freezer for good reason. It was a rather hot and humid day when I shot the photos and the fudge really is soft and doughy. Take a look at the photo below and you can see how the corners started to melt on me, not literally *melt*, but they did start to go south once I'd had them out of the fridge for a while.

It didn't make it any less delicious though! 

Peanut Butter Protein Fudge

by Jennifer Trennum

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: snack dessert gluten-free grain-free low-carb protein soy-free vegetarian protein powder peanut butter bars fudge

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Ingredients (8 squares)

• 1/2 cup (170 g) honey, warmed
• 1/2 cup (125 g) smooth peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (60 g) vanilla whey protein powder (I used North Coast Naturals Iso Protein 100)
• 3 tbsp (20 g) brown rice protein powder or pea protein (I used North Coast Naturals)

Instructions

Line an 8x5" loaf pan with parchment paper and and lightly grease with coconut oil; set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the honey, peanut butter, and vanilla extract with a rubber spatula.

Stir in the protein powders until you form a soft dough.

Once the dough is nice and evenly mixed, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan; press and smooth it out with the rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Once dough is firm, slice the fudge with a sharp knife into 12-16 pieces. Store covered in the fridge for two weeks or in the freezer for up to one month.

Stay tuned for more tasty treats! Have a good one!