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Published: . Last Updated: by: Ligia Lugo
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These healthy breakfast bars serve as an excellent source of vegan protein. With the natural sweetness of dates and cranberries and loaded with various nuts and seeds, their blend of textures and flavors makes them an excellent option.
You can control the texture and taste when you make your breakfast bars at home. I have tried a few from the grocery store and have never fallen in love with one.
Sometimes they are too hard, and sometimes they are too sweet. Expensive too!
Whether you pull up a chair or are running out the door, this vegan protein bar recipe makes easy snacks that are easy, delicious, and a pleasure to eat.
Table of Contents
Can healthy breakfast bars be made nut-free
Yes, for sure! Any of your favorite seeds would substitute for the walnuts.
As a suggestion, pumpkin seeds (pepitas) would be a flavorful crunch.
Baker's tips
I mentioned above to make cuts into the batter before baking. The neatest and easiest way to do this is with a dough scraper.
Now if you don't have one of these, don't worry.
You can use a knife, but I often like to use a dough scraper for cutting and separating dough. It's quick and neat.
Another neat trick is laying parchment paper in the pan before pressing the mixture.
Make sure the parchment paper hangs over two of the opposite edges. This makes it super easy to remove from the pan after baking.
Ingredients
Whole wheat pastry flour adds fiber and nutrients to the main base of these breakfast bars.
Rolled oats give extra protein and a chewy texture.
Coconut oil adds to the baking; you can use any oil you prefer.
Dates are a wonderful sweetener, and they add a nice texture too.
Dried cranberries give a sweet tart addition to the flavors.
Dried apple is another texture that makes everything taste even healthier.
Mix the flour, oats, salt, and oil in a medium bowl.
Add dates, cranberries, and dried apples.
Add the water, walnuts, and sunflower seeds and mix well.
Press into an 8" x 8" pan to fill out all the corners and make a connection with all the ingredients.
Important:
Score into squares before baking. By this, I mean for you to press down with something like a metal pastry board scraper to make deep marks so they are easy to cut apart after baking.
Bake at 325° for 30 minutes.
IF FREEZING:
After they have cooled, you may freeze them in any of the methods shown in my article Preparing Food for the Freezer
They defrost quickly, so it doesn't take any planning. The microwave will also zap them in 20 seconds or let them defrost at room temperature.
Add the water, walnuts, sunflower seeds and mix well.
Press into an 8" x 8" to fill out all the corners and make a connection with all the ingredients.
Important: Cut into squares before baking. By this I mean for you to press down with something like a metal pastry board scraper to make deep marks so that they are easy to cut apart after baking.
I absolutely agree with you - making breakfast bars at home saves you some money and you know what you are actually eating!
Aimee B.
I made this to use up a ton of dates I had on hand. They are amazing!! I don't know the exact measurement of dates I used though, maybe 1 1/2-2 cups. I just used those and 1/2 c raisins, 1/2 c pecans, and added in 1/2 T cinnamon, oh, and 1/4 c mini chocolate chips. I baked them in my toaster oven for 20 minutes. I love that there's no added sugar. My kids love them, too. Thank you for a great recipe. 🙂
Ginny McMeans
You are so welcome Aimee and all those extra dates sound fantastic! Love your kids too! 🙂
Missa
These bars were easy to make and I loved the different flavors in each bite.
LouAnn
I don’t tolerate any oils. Can applesauce be substituted in place of the oil??
Ligia Lugo
I haven't made the swap so I can't say for sure. If you give it a try, let us know how it turns out.
In the fridge: store these chocolate peanut butter protein bars in the fridge tightly wrapped or in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 weeks. The perfect easy snack to have on hand! In the freezer: feel free to keep them in a freezer-safe bag in your freezer for up to 1 month.
While protein bars can be enjoyed regularly, consuming them as meal replacements or as your primary protein source isn't recommended. Pay close attention to nutrition labels, as many protein bars contain added sugars, saturated fats and other low-nutrient ingredients.
Freezing: Energy bars can also be frozen for extended storage. Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap or place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. They can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before consuming.
Although breakfast bars, biscuits and milkshake drinks may have healthy ingredients like wholegrain cereals and milk, they often contain added sugar too, sometimes in large amounts. And although convenient, they can be an expensive option.
Is it cheaper to make your own Protein Bars? Absolutely!Making your own protein bars is much cheaper. Initially, the ingredients will cost more upfront, but with the amount you can make with those ingredients, homemade bars will end up much cheaper.
During freezing, the physical environment of a protein changes dramatically leading to the development of stresses that impact protein stability. Low temperature, freeze-concentration, and ice formation are the three chief stresses resulting during cooling and freezing.
A closer look at the ingredients and sugar levels in some of these bars can make you question whether they're a good idea to eat every day. While there's no problem with the occasional sugary snack or 'unhealthy' treat, eating certain types of protein bars every day might be problematic long term.
Alternatively, you can simply enjoy the bars as a snack between meals. This way you'll feel full and satisfied for a long time and can focus on your goals without your mind drifting off to thoughts of chocolate or sweets. One or two protein bars a day are well within the recommended intake.
Although they're meant to be stored in the fridge, G2G Bars are still a great grab-and-go option. Our bars will remain fresh for 1 month outside of the fridge, 8 months in the fridge, and 1 year frozen.
Originally Answered: What are the healthy benefits of Special K protein bars? There are few benefits to this brand. The main reason is that the source of protein is Soy Protein Isolate (SPI), which is considered an inferior protein source, one that some in the nutrition community find to be UNhealthy.
Refrigeration is required to maintain the best and most consistent tasting protein bar but not to worry, our bars are good for one week out of the fridge and on the go at room temperature.
This method involves adding the protein solution drop- wise (about 100 µl each) into a pool of liquid nitrogen, then collecting the drop-sized frozen beads and storing them in cryovials under liquid nitrogen. Freezing at -20°C or -80°C is the more common form of frozen protein storage.
Storage: To maintain nutritional value, protein bars should be kept in a cool, dry place. Refrigeration can prolong shelf life, especially for bars containing ingredients like cheese or real fruit.
Introduction: My name is Terence Hammes MD, I am a inexpensive, energetic, jolly, faithful, cheerful, proud, rich person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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