Homemade protein or energy bars

[ajasfolks2]

Dealing with kids who will need good travel-worthy bars that I can make -- they'll need for swim meets and workouts this summer.

These can be nonbake or baked.

Only dealing with peanut and tree nut allergies.

I have one thing I've made with sunbutter (nonbaked) that 1 kid likes and other hates.

Got something you have that is go-to?

I need to get some stuff made and into freezer for the summer . . . plus the kids need to learn to make these for themselves as survival food when they move on to college or being away during summer.

Or just for plain ol' after school snacks.

If there is already a thread on this, please whack me with protein bar and merge the 2.   

[GoingNuts]

So funny you should bring this up - last night I was thinking about tinkering wtih one in the kitchen if I have time later.  Now that DS is no longer allergic to almonds, and since I found SuperSeedz pumpkin seeds, a whole new world of possibilities has opened up.

I was thinking about making some kind of toasted oat/almond butter/pumpkin seed bar.  Maybe with some raisins.  Mmmmm...

[ajasfolks2]

So I'm going to throw in here a list of some possible ingredients that will make the bars dense and high calorie, but hopefully healthy too (staying nut and peanut free for our family's needs):

Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds
Flax seed (whole or ground)
Other seeds I missed?

Cocoa powder
Chocolate chips (reg or mini)

Raisins
Golden raisins
Currants
Dates
Dried cranberries
Dried apricots
Dried cherries
Coconut

Various fresh fruits if baking bars . . .

Yogurt
Milk
Evap milk (not sweetened, condensed)

Oatmeal
Wheat germ
Quinoa?
Other cereals or grains?


I'd like to make something that is not high in butter fat from butter . . . so if I'm doing baked I'll try to use heart-healthy oil and maybe applesauce as glue / moisture (plus eggs, if baked).

[becca]

I have not made them, but I get recipes via FB from a quinoa blogger.  I will go see what she has.  I know I saw one or tow float by recently and meant to take a closer look myself.

Here are two.  I am sure you can modify to suit your allergies(like obviously sunbutter for PB). 

http://www.cookingquinoa.net/quinoa-chia-seed-protein-bars/

http://www.cookingquinoa.net/category/quinoa-recipes/snacks/

[GoingNuts]

I have an experimental batch in the oven now. I used:
Oats
Pumpkin seeds
Slivered almonds
Chocolate chips
Vanilla Espresso Bean Almond Butter
honey
Canola oil
Salt

[ajasfolks2]

Yum!

So, I could sub sunflower seeds for the almonds and sunbutter for the nut butter . . .

Since no flour, you must have used a good bit of oats? 

[GoingNuts]

Yes, maybe too many. They are cooling now. I'll let you know.

If I had used plain almond butter, I would have thrown in Craisins or Raisins. If I knew of a safe source for Chia seeds, I might toss some of those in too.

I've seen some recipes that use egg white, dates or bananas for binder.

[nameless]

I riff off of this base:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/playgroup-granola-bars/

I generally cut the oil down to 2-4TB and replace the rest with unsweetened applesauce. I use only 6TB brown sugar b/c there is also honey and my add'ins are usually sweet. I take out the raisins. I'll also use whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat white. I make this thicker and cook them until they start to brown and they end up being like a thick hearty cake bar...not granola bar like at all.

They freeze VERY well. I cool them and then cut and then use Press 'n Seal to make individual portions.

Some combos I like:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin (cut out the applesauce) + Craisins
- soy butter, dark chocolate chips, unsweetened coconut
- soy butter and cacao nibs
- cinnamon chip or load with cinnamon, top with whole oats, course sugar, cinnamon

I make a pan of these for when I travel and for hiking day trips and such.

[GoingNuts]

Home.  Run.

Well, almost.  They're a little crumbly; they could use a little more binder.  But they are good.  Really good.

2 1/4 cups rolled oats (I would cut down to 2)
1/3 cup each slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup almond butter
1/3 cup honey
Smidgen canola oil (I'd probably increase to 1 Tbsp.)
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease an 8x8 baking dish; place parchment paper over that and lightly grease that as well.

I mixed the dry ingredients together. 

I stirred the almond butter, honey and canola oil together, then nuked it for about 25 seconds and stirred well.  Then stirred it into the dry mix.

I placed it in the baking dish and flattened it evenly.  Baked for 20 minutes @ 350.  Allow to cool before cutting into squares or bars.

DH give it two thumbs up. 

[my3guys]

Great idea for a thread!  I've been thinking about this for a long time.  Haven't graduated to doing anything about it...

GN: Thanks for being my test kitchen!!  I'll come back and post a recipe I have that I've used, but things need to be added/subtracted for more protein and you ladies have given me some great ideas.

[becca]

I have done something similar to GN, but never wrote it down.  I think I started with a basic ookie base, but used whole wheat flour, cut bak on some flour, added wheat germ, flax, sunflower seeds, oats, sunbutter for half of the butter, if not more.  I also found it crumbly.  all the flax and wheat germ do that. 

My conclusion is it is hard to have them stick well without some sugar and flour.  The more fibrous items you add(ground flax, wheat germ, etc...) the less they stay together.  Sugar will melt and create stickiness. 

So, the challenge is to do very low on sugar/flour and still stick together. 

[GoingNuts]

YEs, I was trying to cut out the sugar.  Even with just the honey, I found these sweet.  I'd add some more almonds and pumpkin seeds next time.  Maybe egg white for binder?

This would also be great spread out in a larger pan and baked at a lower temp for just plain old granola, to sprinkle over yogurt.

These pumpkin seeds are an amazing find.  I have to get back to King Kullen to buy more.

[GoingNuts]

I tweeked last week's recipe a bit:

2 1/4 cups rolled oats (I would cut down to 2)
1/2 cup each slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup craisins (roughly, I wouldn't swear to it)
1/2 cup almond butter (this time I used plain instead of the vanilla bean/espresso flavor)
1/3 cup honey
1Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Butter (DS used the last of the canola oil and neither told be nor replaced it - grrrrrr...)
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease an 8x8 baking dish; place parchment paper over that and lightly grease that as well.

I mixed the dry ingredients together. 

I stirred the almond butter, honey and canola oil together, then nuked it for about 25 seconds and stirred well.  Then stirred it into the dry mix.

I placed it in the baking dish and flattened it evenly.  Baked for 20 minutes @ 350.  Allow to cool before cutting into squares or bars.

I still found them a bit sweet, but DH luuurrves them.  DS isn't home yet, we'll see what he thinks.


Next week I'll try them with the cocoa/coconut almond butter.  That just might make me swoon.

[jackbrouno]

Seems to be an good recipe, need to give a try

[GoingNuts]

Bumping to find easily