Peanut Butter Protein Bars

It is another national holiday that must be observed….Peanut Butter Lover’s Day.  And my husband LOVES peanut butter!  I make him his own special Protein Bars every week (I know – he is so spoiled!)  and he has one of these squares of yumminess every day.  My kids will also eat them, which is a bonus.  Here is the super easy recipe – try it out.

Ingredients:

– 2 cups raw oats
– 4 scoops protein powder (vanilla or cookies and cream) The scoop I use is 4 Tablespoons per scoop and 90 calories per scoop
– 1/2 cup plain fat free greek yogurt
– 2 TB *powdered peanut butter (I get mine HERE or HERE)
– cinnamon – to taste
– liquid vanilla stevia or any natural sweetener – to taste

Directions:

1.  Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl.

2.  Mix together.

3.  Spray 9 x 9 glass dish with cooking spray and press mixure evenly into dish.  Sprinkle cinnamon on top.

4.  Place in freezer for 10 minutes to set up.  Cut into 4 – 6 squares and put in individual baggies.  I freeze mine, or you can put them in the fridge.

*Now, if you don’t have access to peanut butter powder, replace the peanut butter powder and greek yogurt with 1/2 cup natural peanut butter and 1/2 cup water.  Directions stay the same except divide into 6 or 8 squares.   If you want to try these out with your kids, add in some mini chocolate chips  or carob chips – they won’t even know they are healthy!

For those of you who calorie count, the entire batch as listed above is 1,089 calories (so divide by 4 or 6). If you go the peanut butter and water route, calories bump up to 1, 754 (divide by 6 or 8).  Enjoy!