Clean Eating Protein Bars

 I hadn't made Tosca Reno's clean eating protein bars in a while but they are one of my favourite recipes so I was really happy when I decided to make them the other night. The list of ingredients is pretty intimidating but most of them can be found in the bulk section of the grocery store where you find spices and flour. If you're looking for a healthy snack before the gym or something to throw in your purse when you're on the go I definitely recommend these bars!

 

{Picture from my Blackberry Camera. Talk about high quality}

Ingredients

• 1 C protein
• 1/2 C quinoa flour or flour of your choice – amaranth, millet, spelt, kamut. Technically whole wheat flour works as well.
• 2 C rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/2 C oat bran
• 1/2 C coarsely chopped flax seed
• 1/2 C wheat germ
• 1 tsp sea salt (don’t skimp on this – sea salt provides valuable minerals and elements)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 C Sucanat or agave nectar or organic honey (I use agave nectar - you can find it in the baking section of the grocery store)
• 1 C dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups yogurt cheese (I have figured out after a few yogurt cheese attempts that using low fat vanilla yogurt as is works just fine - just only use 1 1/2 cups if you do it this way)
• 1/4 C avocado oil, canola oil or healthy oil of your choice
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp best-quality vanilla
• Eat Clean Cooking Spray (olive oil in a spritz bottle)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray
2. In a large mixing bowl combine protein powder, clour, oats, oat bran, flax seed, wheat germ, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and Sucanat or other sweetener.  Stir in broken chocolate pieces.
3. In another bowl mix the yogurt cheese, oils, and vanilla. Mix well. Add the yogurt cheese mixture to the dry ingredients. Use your clean bare hands to combine these well.  Coat your hands in olive oil to help prevent sticking
4. Place mixture in prepared pan.  Press it down and even out the top. Bake on middle rack in oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.
5. Let cool and cut the dough into bars.  Place these bars on a cookie sheet lined with Silpat and bake again for another 15 minutes. (I just used parchment paper).  Then remove from heat.
6. Transfer to wire cooling rack and let cool.  Place in airtight container and store in refrigerator.  (I individually wrapped these in plastic wrap, then put them in a ziploc for the freezer)

Nutritional Value Per Serving: (it varies depending on which ingredients you use. I calculated the calories in the version I made and they were 240 per bar. Luckily they are all good calories regardless!)
Calories: 290 | Calories from Fat: 73 | Protein: 15g | Carbs 40g
Dietary Fiber: 5g | Sugars: 11g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 80mg

 I am always hesitant to post recipes on this blog because obviously the purpose of putting out a recipe book is for people to purchase the book not find all of the recipes online. I only decided to post it once I discovered it on numerous online sources. I really do recommend all of Tosca Reno's Clean Eating cook books. I use mine so often it's falling apart! I have the first edition of her Clean Eating book but she's recharged it and put out a couple different versions since. There is even one for those of us looking to lose that last 10 pounds! 

Enjoy! Please let me know if you end up baking them. xo