Recipes for Homemade Protein Snacks

Looking for something to take with you on the road, or a snack to munch at your desk? Forget about those awful Powerbars and other various soy bars. Granola bars are OK, but they do not have much protein. High quality protein bars are available at the store, but for $5 a pop! We are looking for something cheap and easy, and here it is. Do-it-yourself, homemade protein bars.

Homemade Protein Bars: The Recipe

3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups dried milk
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup lite syrup
2 scoops protein powder
2 large egg whites or 1 egg
1 1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins or dried fruit

Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, or spray on some non-stick butter flavored Pam spray. In a large metal bowl, mix all the ingredients until the oats are well coated. Spread the mix onto the cookie sheet and press down to make 10 cutting lines so you can separate them into 10 protein bars later. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. While still warm, cut them apart and allow to cool before wrapping. The bars can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Optional Upgrades

Nutty Bars - use 1 cup chopped nuts instead of dried fruit or raisins.

Fruity Bars - experiment with various extracts other than vanilla to change up the flavor.

The Protein Bar Diet - make a whole bunch of these bars with various fruits and nuts, and various flavors of protein powder. Eat the bars for 3 out of 5 meals each day and make the other two meals small. Do this for a month and see if you don't drop a couple pounds.

Who likes peanut butter?
Who likes brownies?

If you are anything like me or the rest of the bodybuilding / powerlifting / weightlifting world, you answered 'ME ME ME!' to both questions. If so, this recipe is for you. I could not post an easier recipe and prepping a meal can't be quicker unless you are unwrapping a protein bar. That said, on with the recipe!

Peanut Butter Protein Brownies : The Recipe

1 scoop of protein powder; chocolate, vanilla, or peanut butter
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
milk or water

Mix all ingredients together in a small glass bowl; do not use plastic. If the resulting mixture is too thick add a couple drops of milk or water to loosen it up until it reaches your desired consistency. Since it is already in a glass bowl, microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. Mixture should come out to a cake/brownie like consistency.

Many friends of mine have doubted this recipe, thinking the peanut butter protein brownies would be mediocre at best. Instead what they find is a protein party in their mouths. Give this one a try for a quick high protein, high 'healthy-fats' snack.

Today's Lesson About Plastics

The reason I make a big deal about the use of a glass bowl, is because you do not want to be cooking anything in microwave safe plastic containers. Plastic containers contain trace amounts of phytoestrogens, which seep into food when it is stored or cooked inside such containers. A lifetime of these estrogens can have a negative impact on testosterone levels and they tend to promote cancer in laboratory animals. It might not kill you, but your best bet in today's toxic society is to avoid anything that could possibly be related to cancer. Every little bit helps.