Vegan Protein Bars

Hi guys!  Lemme tell you a secret:  I love  good granola bars.  You might ask, "What makes a granola bar good?"  Well for me, it's gotta have good flavor, good texture, good nutrition, and all for a reasonable price.  That's a lot of criteria, but I do believe that these vegan protein bars do the trick.

Protein bars are a big trend now-a-days, but have you ever looked at the ingredients?  I'm not saying this is true of every last one, but most protein bars are full of artificial sweeteners and isolated proteins which leave you with a bad taste in your mouth (literally).  Watch this video  (Power Trip) for more info.

So when I found this recipe while perusing  Sally's Baking Addiction , I was thrilled.  The bars looked healthy, tasty,protein-packed, and vegan.  Lemme make something clear.  I am NOT vegan, but I do know that a lot of people are vegan, so this protein bar happens to be perfect for you.

And by the way, I calculated that each square has 10 grams of protein.  That's right. 10 grams of all-natural, filling, plant-based protein.  No monkey business, just a healthy dose of protein and fat.

So you may be wondering, "How is it possible to make natural, vegan protein bars?"  It's actually pretty simple.  When you pack a bar full of nuts, seeds, oats, quinoa, and peanut butter, the amount of protein really adds up.  And these bars taste good.  They have the texture of Larabars with the taste of Kind Bars  Yum 🤤.

Also, these protein bars are easy to make with normal ingredients that you probably have in you pantry.  They can also be made in one bowl.

I adapted this recipe and here's the link .
Bottom Line:  Before you whip out your wallet and pay for a commercial protein bars, consider whipping up these healthy, happy treats.  I promise, you won't be disappointed.

Vegan Protein Bars

• 1/2 cup dried plums (prunes)
• 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 Tbs. ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (no added oils or sugars)
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2.  Line an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with greased foil with enough overhang to easily remove the bars from the pan.  Set aside.

3.  Pulse the prunes in a food processor until they form a chunky paste.

4.  Transfer to a large bowl.

5.  Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl.

6.  Stir everything together until evenly combined.  This will take some elbow grease!

7.  Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan and press very firmly into an even layer.  You want it packed in as tight as possible.

8.  Bake in prepared oven for 22-25 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges.

9.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 more hour.

10.  Enjoy 😊!!