Vegan Protein Bars With Banana and Peanut Butter

You know that feeling around 11 a.m. when you just want something to snack on? For me, it sometimes hits at 4 p.m. instead. Go figure.

It's been two or three hours since my last meal, and the next one is still an hour or two away. Then that feeling creeps in: maybe I'm hungry, maybe I'm… honestly, I'm not sure what I am.

So what do you do?

Well! I'm glad you asked. You're in the right place.

This week I made some wonderful little snack bars that are completely gluten-free, high in protein, and low in fat. And they took me exactly 20 minutes, by the clock, including baking time.

For this recipe, I used soy flour, which is high in protein, low in carbs and fat, and naturally gluten-free.

You can find it at natural food stores and in the organic section of some supermarkets.

Its only downside, in my opinion, is its strong, assertive flavor. It needs a little camouflage from ingredients like cinnamon, cocoa, or even coffee.

When should you eat one?

I recommend having one of these bars about an hour and a half before a cardio session or weight training for energy. They're also great as a between-meal snack.

Keep them in the refrigerator or in an airtight container for up to a week.

Here's the nutrition breakdown for one protein bar:

110 calories

8 g carbohydrates

10 g protein

5 g fat (0.85 g saturated fat)

51 mg calcium

1.75 mg iron

Want to boost the protein? Add 6 tablespoons of vegan protein powder to the full batch.

With that addition, the nutrition for one bar is:

150 calories

13 g protein

12 g carbohydrates

6.5 g fat

*If you've added protein powder and the mixture is too dry, add 1/2 cup soy milk or water.

Nutrition values calculated by Noam Bachar (an Israeli clinical nutritionist and fitness trainer).

Looking for more energy bar recipes?

Vegan Protein Bars

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Yield 20 servings

Ingredients

• 3 bananas ripe (the sweeter, the better!)
• 3 cups soy flour available at natural food stores and in supermarket organic sections
• 2 cups dry textured soy flakes (TVP) available at natural food stores and in supermarket organic sections
• 1 cup soy milk unsweetened
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter unsweetened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. In a deep bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until smooth.
   
3. Add the remaining ingredients except the peanut butter, and mix until evenly combined.
4. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet, flattening it into a rectangle.
   
5. Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool.
6. Warm the peanut butter in the microwave or in a bowl set over a pot of boiling water until melted and pourable.
7. Use a spoon to drizzle the peanut butter over the top.
   
8. Let cool completely (the bars, not your enthusiasm!), then cut into squares.

A Few Notes

Want to mix things up?

Before baking, you can add natural flavor boosters to the mixture, such as:

1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon instant coffee or a cup of espresso, or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Try them all together, or use just one.

 

Made the recipe? Tell me how it turned out in the comments below!