No Bake Peanut Fudge Protein Bars

I recently read the Consumer Report article on protein powders. It was eye opening to say the least.  One of the things that I’ve talked to my members about frequently is that there is only the need for supplementation, when you are not getting an adequate amount of that supplement in your diet through whole foods.  Whole foods ALWAYS trump!  When a person wants to build their lean muscle mass, it can certainly be a challenge to get enough protein in, and for this reason, protein powder may be a great option for you.

Be sure to do your due diligence when sourcing out a protein powder.  The article above lists some great things to look for when shopping, so I won’t go into all of that here.  When I walked into my local supplement store yesterday to restock my protein, I picked up my go-to powder, which is PVL Pure Whey Isolate -sweetened with stevia. (Only available in Canada -sorry!) I asked if there was a new, better, cleaner protein powder on the market (in that store), and he said, “Nope, you’ve got the best one there.” Perfect! So I headed home to make these chewy peanut fudge bars. They did not disappoint!

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No Bake Peanut Fudge Protein Bars

No bake protein bar

Course Snacks

Keyword healthy treat, no bake, peanut butter, protein powder

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 12 bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup large flake oats ground into flour I used my Magic Bullet
• 1/2 cup large flake oats toasted under broiler until light brown Watch these! They burn easily but the flavor is key!
• 1/3 cup vanilla whey protein
• 1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 cup cacao nibs
• 1-2 tsp water -only if mixture looks too dry.
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate, or Lily's sugar free chocolate melted for drizzle
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt together peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla.

2. Pulse your 1 cup of large flake oats into a flour consistency, and toast your 1/2 cup oats, being careful not to burn them. Place both oats in a bowl. Add the protein powder and cacao nibs to the oats. Stir.

3. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry until well combined. I get in there with my hands. If mixture is too dry to hold together, add 1 tsp of water at a time.

4. Press firmly into an 8x8 parchment lined pan.

5. Melt chocolate and coconut oil then drizzle over top of bars. I use a ziplock bag and snip the end!

6. Place in freezer to set for 10 minutes then slice into 12 bars.

7. Store in freezer.