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If you want to make one of the easiest, most nutritious snack bars around, these Protein Bars are for you!
Several years ago I went through a major “bar phase”. No, I wasn’t getting smashed all over town, I was consuming Luna, Lara and other similar types of protein bars at a rapid rate. It became such an obsession that two of my girlfriends and I actually set out to form our own bar company — just imagine getting to cook one of your favorite foods all day, every day. We had a name, a mission statement, and developed recipes for every flavor of bar under the sun and they were delicious (I think).
But unlike the majority of bars on the market that are jam packed with additives and sugar, our goal was to make something completely organic, packed with protein, devoid of sugar, and full of flavor. The bigger goal was to do all this using as few ingredients per bar as possible. The bar business became a casualty of our busy lives, but I still produce them for my friends and family.
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Which got me thinking. Breakfast can be a real challenge when you’re trying to get your entire family out the door and sending your little one to school with a healthy snack can be just as hard. This Protein Bar recipe is a treat that everyone (over the age on 1 and no history of nut allergies) in the family will love and since the recipe makes 16 bars and they stay fresh for weeks. You’re set!
More Bar Recipes
Wrap them individually and toss them in snack bags or bring them along for an easy, on-the-go treat that you and your family will love. They’re the perfect thing to be sending along with your kids to school as well!
Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews, raw and unsalted
- 1 cup almonds, raw and unsalted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or chocolate chips
- 2 1/4 cup dates (about 20)
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170°F (or put your oven on it’s lowest setting and adjust the cooking time).
- Place the nuts in a bowl and cover with COOL water and soak for 1 hour.
- Cover the dates with HOT water and soak for 30 minutes. After soaking, drain off the water and pit the dates.
- Place the oats in a food processor and grind to a powder. Place in a separate large bowl.
- Drain the water off the nuts, place on a towel to remove excess water. Place the nuts in a food processor with the dried cranberries (chocolate chips) and pulse until nuts are in small pieces (the nuts will be uneven pieces which is fine. Just make sure they are all chopped.
- Place the nuts in the bowl with the oats.
- Place the dates, vanilla and honey (agave) in food processor and pulse until it makes a puree.
- Place the date mixture with the oat mixture and thoroughly combine all the ingredients (mixture will be thick and sticky).
- Place the date nut mixture on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.
- Shape into a long rectangle about 1/2 inch thick and measuring about 8 x 10 inches. Make sure the rectangle is flat and even.*
- Bake for 4.5-5 hours or until the log is firm, but not hard (If the lowest setting on your oven is 200 degrees, cook for 4 hours).
- Cool, cut into bars and wrap individually.
Video
Notes
- If using a dehydrator, heat at 135 degrees and dehydrate for 6-8 hours
I don’t have a silpat…would a foil lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray work? Or would that make them too greasy on the bottom?
Thanks for reposting this today, Catherine! Now I have to go buy a silpat so I can make them 🙂
From what I know, Oats are naturally gluten free. Have you researched about it?
Bob’s Redmill now sells Gluten-Free Oats (old fashioned, quick and steel cut)!
Any suggestions on replacing the oats to make these gluten free? Would love to be able to make this kind of bar for my daughter so it would be more affordable and healthy.
Extremely nice posting. I just bookmark your blog and also would like to be able to say that I have really appreciated while reading your content. Thank you for spreading the information with all.
These are delicious!! The kids loved them. I think I undercooked mine a bit because I was afraid of them getting too hard for my 1 year old, but they still taste yummy! I even crumbled some up and mixed into some vanilla greek yogurt for breakfast today. With 3 kids, it’s nice to know I will have a healthy/easy breakfast for all of us this week. Thanks!
How much protine per serving?? Bar?? How much fat?? Calories??
My son is allergic to most tree nuts as well. I find that pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds and soynuts work great as substitutions. They give the same nutty taste and crunch with loads of high protein nutrition.
I have a hard time finding bars my nut-allergic toddler can eat – I realize the nuts are important for the texture, nutrition, etc… any ideas on substitutions for kids allergic to peanut and tree nuts?? I am always looking for nutritious, make-ahead foods!!
My first comment/review ever for anything! These bars are absolutely 100% AMAZING! I can’t wait to give a piece to my 21 month old tomorrow morning for breakfast. Thank you thank you.
Hey! I love, love, love these bars! I try to always have them on hand; my husband is crazy about them, too. I really need to get the nutritional information. How can I do that? Thanks so much!
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Love your site! I was just checking out this protein bar recipe and I wondered if you have a good source for unsweetened dried cranberries. I have never been able to find them. Thanks!
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