Recipes when I feel like it: Homemade Penutbutter & Banana Protein Bars

It's time again for another protein bar recipe.  My curious mind hasn't stopped racing with ideas since my last protein bar post.  Since then I've been experimenting with various recipes.  Here is my favorite out of the bunch.

Just like before, to make things easier, I will again separate the ingredients into a dry and wet bowl.  Remember  you will need two large bowls that make up your dry and wet bowls.  However, this time around your wet bowl may be metal as nothing will need to be melted.  Lets get started!     

Dry Bowl Ingredients:
2 cups Oats
1/4 cup Shredded Coconuts (Sweetened or Unsweeted, pick your poison)
1/2 cup Raisins (or dates, cranberries, dried fruits, etc)
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips or Chunks (Check out the benefits)
1/4 cup Almonds (shredded or whole, your choice.  Can also substitute for other nuts)
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup Protein Powder (Natural, Vanilla or Chocolate are best for taste)

**Optional**
2 tbsp Flax Seeds (Check out the benefits)
2 tbsp Chia Seeds (Check out the benefits)
1/2 Apple (cut into small chunks)

Assemble everything into one bowl. Mixing everything up. Now put your dry bowl a side to make room for the next bowl.

Wet Bowl Ingredients:
1 Ripe Banana (mashed)
1/4 cup Maple Syrup (or honey if that is all you got) (Check out the benefits)
1/2 cups Peanut Butter (prefer natural but if all you got is skippy or Kraft - go with what you got!  Any other nut butter will work as well)
1 tsp Vanilla

Unlike the last bowl, where it was just collecting ingredients, the wet bowl will require you to use some "elbow grease". Before assembling the ingredients together, you will need to first place a pealed banana into the bowl and mash it up.  I found a spoon works best, but anything you find that you believe will get the job done will work.  After the banana is completely mashed, you can begin to assemble the remaining ingredients into the bowl.  Mix everything up! 

Now that you have your two bowls completed, pour the contents of your wet bowl into your dry bowl.

Now for the fun part (finally!). Time to get your hands all up in there and mix everything up.  Remember though, wash your hands first lol ;)


Once everything is mixed together, transfer the contents to a baking tray to be put into the fridge for an hour or two (or in the freezer if your in a hurry). I found long tupperware containers works well as well (so save those pastic chinese take out containers). Keep the tray in the fridge until ingredients have completely solidified.

Voila!!! The protein bars are done!!! I'll leave you with the freedom to decide how to cut into smaller bars.

Enjoy!!!  And again, don't be shy - If you have an input on how to make this better (or different, in a good way) send your thoughts my way :)

Recipes when I feel like it: Good Morning Smoothie (better than coffee)

If your anything like me, your a busy person, you normally only have an hour or two to spare in the morning before having to run out the door.  With the usual routine of showering, grooming, & changing into presentable clothing, & responding to emails and texts, it really doesn't leave you much time left for breakfast.  This is very strange to me as food is supposed to be fuel for our bodies, it provides us with energy to get through our day.  So why is breakfast the one that we all choose to skimp on.  Are we really getting prepared for the day?




It is true, breakfast is in fact the most important meal of the day.  Like I said above, it's fuel for our bodies.  In the mornings, our bodies are running on empty.  Think of our bodies as a car and food is the fuel that helps it move. The body only has two options for fuel, either we eat something(in this instance, breakfast) or it converts the fat that is stored underneath our skin into energy that the body can use.



Not to sound arrogant, but I don't have much fat to spare.  So, that option really isn't going to work for me.  Not to mention that it's also not a very reliable source of energy.  **Fun fact: Your fat storage is normally only used for long distance activities (such as a 10K+ run or strenuous hike) or during starvation periods (luckily this is not a common problem for us in North America).  Long story short, there is no real purpose to having a lot of it.**  For me, I need something quick that provides my body with carbohydrates, protein, vitamins & minerals, fiber, etc. (You know, the GOOD stuff that our bodies needs to kick start your morning).  After experimenting with various ideas, the best to come out of it was a fruit smoothie.  I like this recipe the best.


Ingredients:
1 Banana
1/4 - 1/3 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen, whatever floats your boat)
1 - 2 scoops of protein powder (depends on your protein needs)
2 - 3 leafs of kale (check out the benefits)
1 chunk/cube of ginger (check out the benefits)
1/4 - 1/2 lemon (peeled or unpeeled, your call.  check out the benefits) 
1/2 cup milk (or soy, almonds, etc)
1/2 water
      

Simple to make in the mornings, place everything in the blender and blend, takes no more than 5 min if you have all the ingredients handy.  Only recommendation I have is you put the kale in last, it acts as a second splash guard lol.   

Now that I have been making various smoothies in the morning,  I have been experiencing more energy and an amazing "lighter on my feet" feeling (great for us morning runners).  Also, as long as I got a great sleep the night before, I have not felt the need for a cup of Jo in the morning either.

Give 'er a try if you dare!!!  Enjoy and go play outside! 

Please also share any of your favorite healthy recipes that you may have with me as I am always wanting to try new things :)  

Recipes when I feel like it: Homemade Protein Bars

So because my curiosity got the better of me this week (and my annoyance of waiting in costco lineups just to buy cliff builder bars) I've decided to experiment with my own protein bar. After some careful research I've created a list of ingredients.


Too make things easier, I'm going to separate the ingredients to a dry bowl and wet bowl - I promise you the names will make sense in the end lol. In case you haven't guessed yet, you'll also need two giant bowls as well (one of which is safe for the microwave if you choose that route).

Dry Bowl Ingredients:
2 cups Oats (you can spice things up by adding any dry grains or seeds to make a mix)
1 cup Protein Powder (natural, vanilla, or chocolate are best for taste)
1/4 cup Peanuts or Almonds (or any nut you prefer)
1/4 cup Cranberries or Raisons (or any dried fruit)
1/4 cup Coconut Shreds (unsweetened or sweetened, your call - just remember, sweetened will increase your sugar content)
1/2 tbsp Cinnamon


Assemble everything into one bowl. After mixing it up, place your dry bowl a side to make room for the next bowl.

Wet Bowl Ingredients:
1/4 cup Peanut Butter (prefer natural but if all you got is skippy or Kraft - go with it!)
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Milk (or soy, almond, coconut, rice... and etc - doesn't matter. But if you often find yourself without a fridge, you may want to choose one of the latter)
1/4 cup Apple Sauce (unsweetened or sweetened, your call - refer to coconut shreds)
1/4 cup Dark Chocolate (or milk chocolate if that's all you got)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract





Again, assemble everything into one bowl. For the next step you can either place the bowl in the microwave or use the old school method of pots and pans to melt the ingredients - your call...

 Next, pour your melted wet bowl ingredients into your dry bowl ingredients.

You've guessed it, now for the fun part - get your dirty hands in there and mix everything up. Just kidding - wash your hands if you already haven't ;)



Once everything is mixed, transfer it to a baking tray to be put into the fridge for an hour or two (or in the freezer if your ADD like me or in a hurry). I found long tupperware containers works well as well (so save those pastic chinese take out containers). Keep tray in the fridge until ingredients have solidified.

Voila!!! The protein bars are done!!! I'll leave you with the freedom to decide how to cut into smaller bars.

Enjoy!!!  Don't be shy - If you have an input on how to make this better (or different, in a good way) send your thoughts my way :)