J and J Protein Bars

by Carrie Adams

I first made these back in the spring and you’ll soon find out (I’ll post my recipes often) that I like to improvise in the kitchen!  I really just throw things together.  I eat clean but I have two kids and I like to eat hearty food so I had to find something that was healthy, tasted amazing, and was nutritious.  These have become epic. Epic!

Believe me when I tell you that at 200 calories for two large bars (as they are made below – adjust calories, etc if you substitute) you'll satisfy your sweet tooth, keep it clean, and help you stay fueled for the day!  Thanks to Spartan Chick Lynn Lena I had them just before the Staten Island Hurricane Heat!  They are named for two of my good friends from Omaha – Jim and Jamie – they are frequent running partners and frequent eaters of these amazing bars. 



You can easily make these Paleo by taking out the whole wheat and by all means you can mix it up.  Lynn used pumpkin baby food in hers and they were awesome!  These are so much better than anything you’ll get at the store and they taste ten times better!  Enjoy!

J and J (Jim and Jamie) Protein Bars
Ingredients:

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour (or Oat flour)
4 Egg Whites
2 scoops Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
½ cup Splenda, Truvia, or Ideal
½ tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Salt
8oz Gerber's Organic Berry and Banana Blend baby food
3 tbsp unsweetened baking Cocoa
1/2 cup Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal oats
1/3 cup slivered almonds
4oz Water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients (oat flower, vanilla whey protein, baking soda, salt, baking cocoa) together in a large bowl.
3. Mix wet ingredients (egg whites, Splenda, Truvia, or Ideal, Berry flavored Baby Food,Water) together in a medium sized bowl.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.  Add oats, chocolate, and almonds.
5. Spray cooking dish with a non stick butter spray and add batter to dish.
6. Bake 20-30 minutes in oven.

Makes 16 squares, serving size is 2 bars.

Calories per 2 bars: 200 
Carbs: 28 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Protein: 14 grams
Fiber: 6 grams