Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

At the beginning of July, I shared that Scott and I broke down and joined a gym.  It was just something that we knew we needed to do to take care of ourselves.  We've tried at home workouts, but the problem is that for us, working out at home is just not motivating enough...or totally inconveniences someone when someone else gets up at 4 AM to hop around to Insanity while you're trying to sleep until 6.....

Anyway.

Having to pay for something is a pretty big motivator to get out of the house and go.  Scott told me the other day that he's tired of protein shakes, and he asked me to find some recipes for protein bars or muffins or some kind of snack to have after a work out.

And behold, the Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars were born.  The original recipe made peanut butter protein bars using vanilla protein powder.  Our local grocery store doesn't even sell protein powder, so while I was there picking up ingredients the other day, I figured that you can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter.  So I just decided to use the chocolate protein powder we had on hand.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. nonfat milk
• 1 c. Jif Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
• 3 T honey
• 1 1/2 c. 100% Whey Protein Powder- Chocolate
• 2 c. regular oats (not quick cook)

1. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with wax paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Add milk, peanut butter, and honey to a sauce pan.

3. Over medium heat, stir milk, peanut butter, and honey until well combined.

4. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate protein powder.

5. Then stir in the oats.

6. Until it is all combined (and yes, this takes a little elbow grease!).

7. Transfer the mixture onto your wax paper-lined baking pan, and pat down.  (This is a super sticky and messy process, but it was pretty fun!)

8.  If you're a perfectionist like me, grab a spatula, spray it with a little cooking spray, and use it to form this into a more rectangular shape with a smooth top.  This will also help to make the bars more uniform in thickness.

9.  Allow the mixture to cool completely, and then cut into bars.

This was SOOOO easy!  It was incredibly similar to making no-bake cookies, but there was no butter, and no added sugar.  Even better--they TASTE like a no-bake cookie!  In my book, a healthy treat that tastes like something unhealthy is an absolute WIN in my book.

Because I am watching my calorie in-take, and Scott wanted a snack that was pretty close to 20g of protein, I did some math (ugh), and figured out the calories and protein for cutting these into 8 bars or 12.  I decided to cut my rectangle into thirds, and then each of those into fourths to make 12 bars, but if you want a slightly longer bar, just cut it in half and then into fourths.

For 8 Bars: 398 calories, 27.5g protein

For 12 Bars: 266 calories, 18.3g protein

While I was browsing for protein snacks, I also found some meals that were packed with protein.  Stay tuned for another recipe soon! :)

Peanut Butter Blossoms

One of my favorite things about Christmas is making Christmas cookies!!  Of course, these cookies can be made any time of the year, but they're just more special when you're making them on a snowy day with Christmas just around the corner!  :)

For those of you who are new around here, please remember, that I'm not creative enough to make recipes of my own!  When I post a recipe, it's just something I've tried in my kitchen.  I note changes I made or things that did/didn't work for me.  I find that it's always nice to hear from someone else any problems that were encountered or adjustments to make things easier.  I also am sure to make sure you know where I found the original recipe.

I found this recipe on a coupon for Crisco products last year.  I didn't need the coupon, but I did need want the recipe! 

Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients



Baking soda not pictured because I am a dummy.  :)

• 1/2 c. Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• 1/2 c. Jif Creamy Peanut Butter*
• 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 T milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST All Purpose Flour**
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• sugar
• Hershey's Kisses

*I ALWAYS buy and use Jif Peanut Butter, but I never buy or use creamy.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE extra crunchy.  Which, by the way, is the only other option.  There's just creamy and extra crunchy.  I don't know why, but I'm ok with that.
**I use whatever store brand generic all-purpose flour I have in my cabinet.  :)

 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  (The original recipe calls for 375 degrees.  I bake almost everything at 350.) Cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 c. of sugar.

Before

After

 2. Add egg, milk, and vanilla.  Beat well.

 

 

3. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.

 

Before

After

4. Add to creamed mixture.  (Tossing it all over your mixer and counter while adding it to the bowl is totally optional.) 

 

Don't know if you can tell or not, but this is an action shot! :) haha

5.  Beat on low speed until stiff dough forms.

 

 

6.Shape into 1-inch balls.  (I totally don't know what size that would actually be.  Just shape it into a dough ball, and go with it!)

 

 7. Roll in sugar.

 

8. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

 

 

 9. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.  (If you go with 375 degrees, you may want to adjust the time to 10 minutes.)

 

I apologize for my lousy baking sheets.  This was my good one.  I only used it for baking cookies.  Then someone's husband made regular food on it....and well, THIS happened.  :-p

10.  Immediately, top each cookie with a Hershey's Kiss.  Be sure to press down firmly to settle the Kiss into the cookie.

 

 

11. Remove from sheets to cool.

 

The recipe says it yields 4 dozen (48) cookies.  I got just over 2 dozen (28 cookies).  I'm guessing my "1 inch" dough balls were too big, but honestly, it's not like they taste any different.  So if you want to get more cookies out of this recipe, just make the dough balls smaller.

 

Enjoy!