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Family Friendly Protein Bars for a Healthy New Year

ByTiffany Crumbs

Family Friendly Protein Bars

Protein is absolutely essential to our bodies.  Every single cell is made up of protein, and the body cannot grow, heal or even sustain itself without it.  Unfortunately, many families struggle with eating enough on a daily basis, for a variety of reasons:

  • affordability
  • picky eaters
  • lack of time to prepare
  • aversions to tastes or textures

So when I wrote High Protein, No Powder, it was important to me that my own family (husband and two kids) not just tolerate my homemade protein bars, but actually want them.  Ask for them.  Crave them!

So Why Family-Friendly Protein Bars ?

With each bar offering anywhere from 9g to 12g of protein, these homemade protein bars rival any store-bought bar and are the perfect way to get more protein into the daily diet.  Plus, they’re so much more than just a protein bar!

  • allergy friendly:  gluten-, dairy- and soy-free
  • recognizable ingredients:  bars are made with common ingredients that most families already have in the pantry
  • affordable:  there are no specialty ingredients requiring special trips to health food stores
  • easy to make:  no kitchen experience is required
  • family friendly:  14 flavors for each family member to choose from, including the classic like peanut butter chocolate chip and “mock candy bar” flavors like coconut bar and coconut almond bar
  • nutrient dense:  every bar is made up of 100% real food – no powders or artificial ingredients – making them rich in essential vitamins and minerals

This recipe for a classic peanut butter chocolate bar is one of my family’s favorites, and just one of the many protein bar recipes (and smoothie recipes!) found in High Protein, No Powder.  It’s simple, fun and boasts 11g of protein in one single serving.  My kids think it’s a treat, and I love that it’s healthy!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Protein Bar

INGREDIENTS
High Protein, No Powder Ebook
1/4 cup fresh dates, room temperature and roughly chopped
1/4 cup peanuts
2 Tbsp hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds)
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp chocolate pieces, finely chopped
1 tsp coconut oil

METHOD

Place dates in a medium bowl and set aside.  Combine nuts, hemp and seeds in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds to 1 minute – until nuts have released their oils and large chunks become very small.  Add extract and pulse again for 10 seconds.

Add nut mixture to the dates and knead together with your hands, breaking up larger chunks of dates while massaging the mixture together.  Knead until everything is thoroughly combined and sticky, approximately 1 minute.

Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and continue to knead until everything is evenly distributed, especially the coconut oil.  The mixture is done when it retains its shape when squeezed into a small ball.

Eat immediately or pour the mixture into a mold, packing down firmly.  The tighter it’s packed, the better the bar will turn out.

Refrigerate for at least one hour.  Slide a knife gently around the edges to loosen the bar and turn the mold over to remove.  Wrap individually and store bars in the refrigerator or freezer.  Makes 2 bars.

Cheers to delicious, real food protein!

Tiffany at Don’t Waste the Crumbs

Tiffany is a frugal foodie – passionate about feeding her family healthy food, while being a good steward of her family’s finances. She's a homeschooling mother of two, loving wife to one and a child of God blessed in more ways than she can count. She shares her enthusiasm for affording real food without going broke, and documents her baby-sized strides at Don’t Waste the Crumbs. Join Tiffany and the Crumbs Community on Facebook, Google+ or via email for encouragement and small, simple steps to healthier living.

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