PB Fit Energy Bars
If I told you you can make your own energy bars for half the price and under 10 minutes would you believe me?
Well that is exactly what this recipe is offering! It is higher in fiber, potassium, and b vitamins and lower in sugar, and fat compared to the commercial energy bars that can contain as much as 15-20g of sugar and 15 or more grams of fat making them hard to fit into your calorie goal for the day.
I wanted to create a healthier homemade energy bar for all the hikers, busy moms, working dads and even kid friendly so that the entire family can enjoy these bars no matter what they are up to!
These energy bars are made with whole grain oats, low sugar/ sugar free syrup, peanut butter powder, protein powder and some chocolate chips and chia seeds sprinkled into the mix for some extra sweetness and superfood benefits!
Ingredient Highlights:
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds contain 19% protein, high protein foods are associated with increased fullness after meals and may reduce food intake, helping you to stick to your weight loss goals while also providing protein to maintain lean muscle mass.Notably, these seeds offer all nine essential amino acids and are considered a high-quality plant-based protein.
One of the unique characteristics of chia seeds is their high content of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids which can help lower inflammation and prevent several inflammatory diseases.
Powdered Peanut Butter
Powdered peanut butter provides a good amount of protein (5g per serving) but 70% less fat than normal peanut butter. This can help reduce calories and stay within your calorie goals!
It contains all 20 amino acids, including arginine, which is important for heart health. It’s low on the glycemic index scale (so it won’t spike your blood sugar level).
It provides fiber, which will help you feel fuller longer and will feed the beneficial bacteria in your microbiome.
It’s high in antioxidants. Peanuts contain one particularly potent antioxidant, resveratrol, which will help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.
Protein Powder
In this recipe the protein powder acts as a flour to hold the ingredients together and give it more of a bar texture but with more protein! It also adds to that chocolate flavor in these bars so it's a win win!
Oats
See my energy bites post for all the benefits of oats.
Chocolate Chips
Lily’s is a great option for chocolate chips since they are low in sugar. They use Stevia to sweeten the chocolate which is a sugar substitute that comes from a plant. Chocolate has organic compounds that function as antioxidants. These include polyphenols, flavanols and catechins!
Sweetener Of Choice
I used a sugar-free syrup which can cut down on the amount of sugar and calories these bars contain but feel free to use honey, maple syrup, date syrup or any other liquid sweetener of your choice (head to the recipe for more options!) If you are choosing a sugar-free product look for zero calorie sweeteners that are made naturally such as monk fruit, zevia, and xylitol to name a few.
Hiking PB Fit Energy Bars
(Makes 12 bars)
Ingredients:
3 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
2 Scoops Orgain Chocolate protein powder (see note 1)
½ Cup Organic Peanut Butter Powder mixed with ¼ Cup Water
⅓ sugar free syrup (see note 2)
2 Tbs Chia Seeds
¼ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips (see note 3)
4 Tbs Water
Directions:
Mix the peanut butter powder and ¼ Cup + 1 Tbs water until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together except the 4 Tbs of water.
If the mixture is still dry, add in the 4 Tbs of water and mix.
Line a 8x8 pan with parchment and place the oat mixture into the pan. Press firmly down and flatten with a spatula to condense the mixture.
Place the bars in the freezer for 15 minutes or longer. Then cut them into 12 bars and transfer them to an airtight container or resealable bag.
Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months!
Nutrition Facts per bar: Calories: 160, Carbs: 22g, Fats: 5g, Protein:11g, Fiber: 4g
Notes:
You can use any protein powder you like but plant based protein powders work best as they act as a flour in this recipe.
Orgain protein and Nuzest Protein powders work best here!
You can use maple syrup, honey, date syrup if you prefer. Using sugar free syrup keeps calories and sugar low in this recipe. Here are some of my favorite sugar free syrups:
Any chocolate chips will work here my favorite low sugar chocolate chips are linked below
Hu Gems
