Tasty Tuesday

 Vegan chocolate protein bars

 Per serving (1 bar): 184 calories, 5.4g fat (3g saturated), 29g carbohydrates, 37mg sodium, 113mg potassium, 3g fiber, 7.3g protein

 Skip the store-bought, processed protein bars and make your own with quinoa for a yummy, potassium- and protein-packed snack. One bar delivers all the energy you need to fuel your busy afternoon and your workouts.

 Ingredients:
 ¾ cup dry quinoa (or about 2 cups cooked)
½ cup dates, pitted
3 tbsp agave nectar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
 ½ tsp almond extract
¼ tsp salt
 ½ cup protein powder (use your favorite brand, Frazier likes an unsweetened hemp version)
½ cup whole-wheat flour
 ¼ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup vegan chocolate chips
Directions:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 baking dish lightly with baking spray. Rinse the dry quinoa in cold water, then let sit in a bowl of water for 10 minutes. In the meantime, bring 1 cup of water to boil. Drain the quinoa and add to the boiling water. Cover, and reduce heat to simmer for about 12 minutes. Let cool enough to handle. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cooked quinoa, dates, agave nectar, vegetable oil, flaxseed, almond extract, and salt. Process until relatively smooth (the quinoa is so small it stays slightly lumpy). In a small bowl, stir together the protein powder, flour, and stir-ins. Fold this dry mixture into wet mixture with a spatula. The dough is very thick, like cookie dough, so use the spatula to press into prepared pan evenly. Bake for about 22-25 minutes, until firm. Let cool, then slice into a dozen bars. Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes 12 servings
Recipe provided by Matt Frazier, The No-Meat Athlete

http://www.shape.com/

 

ENJOY,

Coach Pam