Paleo Protein Bars

It's Sunday, my favorite day of the week.  Church, family time, working outside, now that it is warm again and making our snack foods for the week.  My husband and I both have things we make for the week that help make eating healthy more convenient  in our busy life.  We both work full time and we have 4 kids, although only 3 live at home.  We have 3 dogs, which are sometimes more work then our kids and a 15 acre hobby farm (or at least that is what my husband is trying to make it)!  That in itself is a story for another time.  Our life is full of soccer, dance, music and school activities. My husband makes a Paleo breakfast casserole each week that we just heat up for breakfast.  I will try to get my husband to assistant me in that a blog at some point.  I make Paleo Almond Bites (I will do this recipe soon too) and Protein Bars weekly.

Yummy!

If you read my blog at all or know me I am out to make everything easy and inexpensively.  I have adapted this recipe to be quicker and a little cheaper, but still good for you. 

Roasting the seeds, nuts and coconut

Here adaptation of the Protein Bars as I have had lots of questions about them. We love them and they are so simple, healthy and yummy when you need a quick snack. They are a great easy snack before working out or on a run.  Ok honestly, the only down side of these bars is sometimes getting them out of the pan, but if they fall apart they are still like yummy cookie chunks!  Be warned your house will smell like cookies after baking these. 

Pre cooked

Protein Bars

1/4 cup sliced Almonds
1/4 cup chopped Walnuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup Almond Butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons raw honey
1/2 cup protein powder (I use vanilla)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup dried blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place nuts, seeds and coconut in a single later on cookie sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes till they are golden brown. In bowl melt coconut oil, almond butter and honey in the microwave, then stir till combined.  Add egg, vanilla, sea salt, flax protein powder and stir. Stir in nut and seed mixture and blueberries.  Press mixture into an 8x8 loaf pan.  Bake at 350 F for15 minutes.  Let cool before cutting. Store them in air tight container.  I store in snack baggies.

Adapted from http://easyhealthoptions.com/kitchen-kelley-paleo-protein-bars/