The average protein bar has a ton of processed ingredients including fructose corn syrup, or alcohol sugar, and preservatives that are difficult for the body to digest. If you ingest too much fructose your body will store it as fat. Here’s a recipe that includes dates (a simple carb) which digests quickly after a workout, almonds (a healthy fat) to keep you satiated, and oats (a complex carb) to add fiber and stop your food cravings for a couple of hours. Any protein powder will work in the recipe, most gym goers prefer whey (milk) protein as it is known to repair and build muscle and balance the blood sugar–since it’s low glycemic. Hemp protein is vegan and the most natural with 3 ingredients, and egg white protein has the highest protein grams per serving (also good for the lactose intolerant). Try to find a protein powder sweetened with stevia, a sweetener extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant that is calorie free.
In a food processor mix the ingredients below for about 5 minutes until a paste like crumble forms and it will get almost sticky. Scrape the mix into a square baking tray. Cover with saran wrap and use the wrap between your hand and the mix to press down and flatten so it can be cut into bars easily. Refrigerate for one hour and cut into 4 bars. They will keep for up to one month in refrigeration.
- 1 cup almonds (raw)
- 3 tablespoons of chocolate protein powder
- ¼ cup of oats (uncooked)
- 1 cup of pitted soft medjool dates
- 1-2 tablespoons of water
- 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
