Ok, I have to admit something:
I used to be addicted to protein bars, eating 2-3 bars a day thinking they were good for me just because they were called “Protein Bars”… I would go for anything that had a lot of protein and tasted good.
Then, as I kicked my training up a notch, I realized I had to kill this fetish, a pretty expansive one too as a protein bar costs about $5… I had to stop eating these “candy bars with protein” but I still needed convenient access to healthy protein. This is when I decided to create the perfect homemade protein bar. One that had all the good stuff and none of the bad.
I wanted them to be healthy but cheap to make…. Here’s the result!They are damn good tasting and can be made in under 5 minutes… Enjoy!
(This one one of the many protein bar recipes I have for you in my Anabolic Cooking Cookbook).
Makes 5 Bars
Ingredients
- 8 scoops chocolate protein powder
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup 1% milk
- 3 tbsp crushed peanuts
Directions
1. Mix together the protein powder, oatmeal, peanut butter, honey and milk.
2. Form into 5 bars and then roll in the crushed peanuts to finish.
3. Place in the fridge for about 30-45 mins or until solid
Nutritional Facts
(Per Serving – 1 Bar)
Calories: 452
Protein: 50g
Carbohydrates: 36g
Fat: 12g
Make sure to prepare a batch and leave me your comment below! 
I make them every week!
)
They are just so awesome, I can’t believe something so good is so healthy.
Can’t thank you enough for this one man
These bars are the reason I’m gonna buy your book in a few weeks (once I get some cash
Thanks a million Dave!
I am sure I am the only one who suffers from this issue, lol, but I don’t like chocolate and I can’t have any wheat based products, and I don’t like milk, I can sub the peanuts for almonds, so how can I alter this recipe to fit my needs? Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!
You can substitute with vanilla protein powder and replace the milk by water… however the taste will be a lot different.
Just buy a tub of protein powder in some other flavor! Optimum Nutrition makes many flavors. I’ve been thinking about trying the strawberry, coffee, or the cookie dough flavors.
Feel free to play with the ingredients – just keep them ‘healthy’ and think about the consistency of the components so that it mixes into a barely sticky dough.
If you want the nutrient breakdown, take the listing from the ingredient labels, add it up and divide by the servings you create.
Hi, I would replace milk with almond milk and the choc protein for brown rice protein (personal preference) and sub any flavor that you like .
Thanks for helping out Brittain guys!
I started with this exact receipe from your great book Dave. I’ve changed it a bit by upping the peanut butter to 1/2 cup. I also take 1/2 the oatmeal, 1/4 cup almonds, 1/4 cup pecans, 1/4 cup walnuts, and 2 tablespoons of flax seeds and powder them together before mixing the whole thing together. You may have to adjust the milk or honey up a bit to compensate for the extra dry ingredients but the oil released by the flax seeds and nuts help too.
I use the Kitchenaid stand mixer with the dough hook to mix this together. Then divide it into eight or ten equal pieces and I form them into ’snakes’ and wrap it up with Press n’ Seal wrap into individual bars. I can then ‘fold’ them up before putting them in the fridge. Now just cut one off to take it with you. Saves a bunch of space too!
Thanks Jeff! Very useful and appreciated input as usual
Hey Dave,
In your video you mentioned that you’re using a new protein powder.
What product/brand of protein powder have you switched to? And why?
I’m actually testing a new protein powder (among other products) for a Canadian Company… I’ll keep you guys updated soon about it… but other than that I use Optimum Nutrition or LeanFit from Costco
I use LeanFit too … and for the most part it’s good, but I find it’s a bit more coarse/grainy than some other powders I’ve used, which means it doesn’t mix into things as nicely. But for the most part I like it, and when Costco puts it on sale, I stock up!
Anyway, I’m always interested in hearing about the better products out there, esp the unsweetened ones (I like to control the sweetness myself, rather than have it forced upon me).
Looking forward to your test results!
Thanks again for the great recipes!
Yes Chris, so far so good with these products, been testing them for about a month now… It’s actually making me change my mind about NO products, something I never thought possible, LOL.
I’ll make sure to keep you guys posted, but I think I will endorse some of the products in their lineup… I always prefer testing before recommending anything, and so far I’m impressed.
Great recipe Dave, thanks so much.
Hi Dave!!
Thanks for this recipe; I can’t wait to try them!! I’ve made so many different types of protein bars and have never been satisfied with them; they always seem to be “cake” like. These ones look nice and chewy! Thanks again!
Oh and just wondering if there are any types of protein bars you would recommend if you did have to buy one? I usually go for the balance bars or builders bars, as they dont seem to have to many additives.
Thanks again!
I love these bars! But the first time I made them I hand formed them into bars. Well, they came out looking like poo! I couldn’t help but laugh every time I looked at my bars! So from now on I call them Protein Poo-Poo Bars.
I use a protein powder from a Canadian Company called Sunn Sports Nutrition. They use stevia to sweeten their whey protein powder so each 35g serving has only 80 calories while giving you 32g of protein. I pay $26.99 for a 908g container. It’s smooth, tastes great and mixes well!
Thanks for the recipe, Dave! It’s fantastic! I love your recipes and I love your passion! Keep up the great work!
These bars are plain amazing, I’ve been making them for the last month (only I make 10 bars out of the batch as the book says) and have them with my meal before lunch. The problem I have is that here (I’m from Spain) the variety of peanut butter is quite reduced, usually one or two brands, and none of them is as liquid as the one you use in this video, so mixing it becomes one more workout
any workarounds for this?
A recovery drink afterwards !
I am allergic to all forms of peanuts, anyother suggestions what I can add insted of peanut butter and peanuts? pumpkin seeds or sunflower seed I could add but how do I get it to stick? Have u ever heard of no nut peabutter looks like peanuts butter but it’s not I think its a pea of some sort could I use this?
Hi Samantha,
Try using almond butter if you’re not allergic to it.
Cheers!
Chuck
ditto
Hey Dave,
Traveling with the proper foods always seems to be a challenge was wondering how well these bars might fare if I were to pack them in some luggage or carry on? Have you tried this before? Thanks!
They don’t travel that well as it’s a no bake bar… you always have to keep them cold.
I keep them in the fridge in air tight bags at all times so they travel well for me..at least for 6 hours..that’s the longest I’ve kept them outside while traveling (could be more)…and it can get really hot here at times (around 50C)
Hello Dave,
Loved the home-made protein bars video blog, the receipe and preparation did not look too challenging. I have a nut allergy, so what could I use as a substitute for the peanut butter and crushed nut coating. Would any substitutions be detrimental to the protein content.
Now Dave you know at the start of my reply that I said that the receipe didn’t seem too challenging, now I’m a gentleman who does not believe in taking liberties especially online but I feel that I’ve gotten to know you a little bit, so if it’s not too much trouble could you make me up several batches and send them to me here in the UK and as I’m feeling in a generous mood could you also cover the p&p costs as well?
Fond Regards
Michael
you can try almond butter instead.
I can try to ship you a batch but I’m pretty sure the custom officers are quickly gonna flag the parcel and eat the bars! LOL
I’ve done a similar recipe for a while now, but I never thought of adding honey – that will help a lot! Throwing in some chocolate covered raisins works as well.
For Samantha & Michael -
Another nut allergic here. When you can’t use peanuts/peanut butter it jumps the cost significantly, but if you go to a health food/organic store (or Amazon) you can find Sunflower or Soy Nut Butter to switch out for the Peanut Butter. I don’t recall the nutrition facts for sunflower butter, but Soy Nut Butter is pretty similar to Peanut Butter (SNB serving, 2 tbsp = 200 cal., 15g fat, 8g carbs, 7g protein).
Sunflowers work fine instead of crushed peanuts. The flavor profile will be a little different, so you might need to mess with it to get it where you like it.
Great tips Beau! Thanks for the input
Thanks so much for sharing your recipes are sooo Good!!
Hello,
I tried the recipe but I don’t now the exact grams. I am not used to cooking with the “cup measurement”. How many grams should I use ?
When I tried it the bars were soft and sticky, I used
- 150 g protein powder
- 50 g peanut butter
- 50 g oatmeal
- 60 g honey
- 120 ml milk = 4,06 oz
Hi Dave,
very nice recipe! I have a little doubt. How many days do you think I can store the bars in the fridge until it is not “safe” anymore to eat them?
Thanks!
At least 3-4 days… You can also freeze them
Thanks Dave!
do you think that by using soy milk they could last longer?
Jose, It won’t make a difference really…
Dave can I used the Skippy Natural peanut butter?That’s the only kind of natural peanut butter that exist in our country, I can’t find any of those peanut butter that you used in your recepie in making those protein bars..thanks dave.
John, I’m not familiar with the Skippy brand, but if it’s all you have, go for it
It says in the container dave that it is a Uniliver brand., If I’m not mistaken dave your recepie in PB does contain 1/3 cup = 5.3 tbspns??..
exactly, roughly 5 Tbsp (=1/3 cup)
Ok dave..gonna try making your protein bars, thanks man.
Hey guys,
If the peanut butter is not liquidy enough, just put it in a bowl, and stick it in the microwave for about 20 seconds…..that’ll do the trick!
Dave, unbelievable recipies man!!
Thanks for the tip Kevin
When you said liquid enough does it help to stick together? Because I try but it seem to have a lot more powder remaining in the bowl as if I was missing something or not enough milk or ????
Hey Dave,
Wondering if you or anybody here can help me out…?
I made your Blueberry-Vanilla High protein muffins for the 2nd time…..the 1st time was a bomb…ha! The 2nd time they tasted alrite…..I was wondering what are some other ingredients I could use to make them taste even better…..I ended up putting a bit of applesauce and some fruit juice in there….still tasted a bit bland….Any other ways i can make them taste better while maintaining the health content of it…? I’m trying to avoid sugar or white flour….
Thanks Dave!
Hey Dave,
Made a batch of the bars today..They are fantastic!!! much better tasting than the protein bars that ya can buy…good work for sharing the recipe
cheers
steve
Made these today and they’re AWESOME! I love the texture. And I’m already thinking of fun ways to change up the flavour. Hazelnut butter, pecans, agave nectar, milkshake flavoured whey….. the possibilities are endless!
just made them, thought the mixture looked a bit runny, it is now setting in the fridge, i tried some of the extra left in the bowl,a taste sensation, tremendous, excellent dave
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Hi Dave,
Just made my first batch, and they are delicious! Quick question though, the mix never hardened completely into bar form, it remains sludge like, any suggestions? Also, do you how long it is ok to leave them in the fridge?
Thanks!
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