Homemade protein bars

Whether coming back from injury or in the middle of the season, the support team you surround yourself with is incredibly important. This includes: a coach, family, friends, teammates, physiotherapists, massage therapists, sports psychologists, sponsors, coworkers, the list goes on. Every single person in your core group plays an integral role in an athlete’s career. They are all there to help you through the good and bad in different ways. My team, beyond that role, when they figured out my love of baking and cooking, also became a team of taste testers. So, in an around about way, they all became a crucial part of my cooking “career.”

On Monday, I believe my physiotherapist was attempting to turn me into a pincushion from the amount of needles he was using on my legs. Trying to distract me from legs full of needles, we began to talk about food, a topic I can talk about for days about. He asked about my recovery fuel, which led us to the debate over supplements: protein powders/bars; importance of different vitamins and minerals; and the timing of it all. By the time I headed home, I was convinced to try making homemade protein bars.

Through research on Pinterest (of course), I selected this recipe. My first critic was my father. Usually he’s quite easy to please, especially when there’s chocolate involved, but he’s always a trustworthy option. Great success! He expressed his love for the bars, and said they were “the best ever.” Quite the compliment.

Homemade protein bars
Recipe retrieved from Money Saving Mom
Yields 10-15 bars

Ingredients:
– 1 mashed banana
– 1 ½ cups dry oatmeal
– 2 tbsp flax seed, ground
– 2-4 scoops protein powder [I used VEGA Vanilla Protein Powder]
– ¼ cup peanut butter
– ¼ cup shredded coconut
– ¼ cup coconut oil or butter, melted
– ¼ cup raisins
– ¼ cup water
– 1 large chocolate bar [I used organic 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips]

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients but chocolate together well (mixture will be somewhat sticky).
2. Line an 8 x 8 pan with foil and spread the mixture evenly in the pan.
3. Melt chocolate on the stove or in the microwave.
4. Drizzle or spread over the mixture in the pan.
5. Place the pan in the freezer for two hours.
6. Cut into bars and wrap in plastic wrap or foil and store in the freezer.
7. Thaw slightly before serving.

Note: 1 bar (if cut into 10) = approximately 260 calories and 11 to 13 grams of protein (depending upon how much protein powder you use, per Calorie Count.)