Cranberry vanilla almond gluten-free protein bars

Cranberry vanilla almond gluten-free protein bars

• 1.12.2017

When I figured out this homemade protein bar recipe, I was super pumped. I so often find the need for a low-maintenance, balanced snack and the storebought options are either full of mystery ingredients, really expensive, and/or really high in sugar. I've been making my basic protein bars pretty regularly, but wanted to try a special treat variation and came up with this one!

I don't eat many grains at all (discovered how much better I felt cutting them out in my raw vegan and now mostly-Paleo days) but I have been tolerating the organic oats in my protein bar recipe very well. This cranberry almond version uses half as many, though, and no peanut butter, so the rest of the ingredients are Paleo, real food, low toxin, all that good stuff.

This flavored bar needs an unflavored protein powder. You can use collagen peptides protein powder for dairy-free or a high quality unflavored whey protein. This recipe makes 8 bars so it's great to make on Sunday nights and pack for snacks during the week! I take 4 and give Jason 4 to keep in the fridge at work.

Cranberry vanilla almond gluten-free protein bars

Ingredients:

• 4 scoops/servings protein powder (collagen peptides or  grassfed unflavored whey [1 lb option or value 5 lb option, or budget not grassfed but rBST-free option])
• 2 tbsp  xylitol or other sweetener (if you use coconut palm sugar, raw sugar, or other sugary sweetener you will increase the grams of sugar and carbohydrates)
• 1 c. gluten-free oats
• 1 c. almond flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• No more than 1/4 c. almond milk or coconut milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Combine dry ingredients (through cranberries) in a mixing bowl; mix well. I use a fork!
2. Add milk of choice a few tablespoons or splashes at a time, mixing to incorporate. The only way you can mess this recipe up is by adding too much liquid! It's hard to stir and very sticky, but try not to add any more liquid than absolutely necessary! Add vanilla extract at this stage, as well. 
3. Lay out a 12" or so long piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Distribute mixture into a loaf shape. Wrap plastic wrap around starting at one end and roll out until mixture is packed down and relatively uniform. (I often use the cylinder shape bar and cut into 8 discs, but you can also pack down into a rectangle and cut 8 bars as I did in these photos.)
4. Refrigerate or freeze for 15-20 minutes until solid but not rock hard.
5. To cut into eight relatively even-sized pieces, cut in half, then cut halves in half, then cut those halves in half on each side. 

Stop adding liquid when it looks like this!

Store in the fridge or freezer. If you put too much liquid and they are too soft or sticky, definitely store them in the freezer.

You may not have happen to have unflavored protein powder in your pantry, but if you've been looking to get more protein (but not more mystery ingredients) into your diet, I highly recommend stocking it. You can shop my favorites and other ingredients for this recipe here!