Tuesday, January 5, 2010

ALMOND PROTEIN BARS















ALMOND PROTEIN BARS 

Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds

½ cup flax seed meal

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 scoops Organic Whey Protein (optional - I do not include)*

½ cup raw almond butter (I sometimes use Organic Peanut Butter. Not as healthy as Almond Butter)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

 1 teaspoon (approx) Vanilla 

½ cup coconut oil
3 - 4 ounces Lily’s Chocolate Chips 

Topping:
3 - 4 ounces Lily’s Chocolate Chips 
1/4 cup coconut oil

Preparation:
1) Place almonds, flax meal, shredded coconut, (Organic Whey Protein*,)almond butter, vanilla and salt in a food processor.

2) Pulse briefly, until you get a “sandy” consistency 

3) In a small sauce pan, melt coconut oil over very low heat.
Add 3 - 4 oz. Chocolate chips and very gently, melt with the coconut oil 

4) Remove chocolate and coconut oil from stove, add mixture to food processor and pulse until ingredients form a coarse paste.

5. Press mixture into an 8 x 8 silicone baking dish. **

6) Chill in refrigerator while you prepare chocolate topping

Topping:
7) Melt chocolate and 1/4 cup coconut oil

8) Spread melted chocolate over bars; return to refrigerator until protein bars harden (an hour or two)

9) Remove from refrigerator, cut into 32 bars, and serve.

Note:
*too much protein in the diet = protein burns like carbs. 

There is plenty of protein in the recipe without adding Protein powder.

** Until you purchase a silicone baking dish, you can use glass - lined with parchment paper. The silicone is definitely worth buying.