These protein bars are good, and they are good for you! The bars are packed with protein and fiber and are far less likely to spike your blood sugar than commercial versions. The bars are inexpensive to make with ingredients that you can find at supermarkets. I make the bars in the air fryer in 20-25 minutes, and they come out soft and moist and full of peanut flavor. Think of a cookie peanut butter bar but with extra protein and fiber and a lot less sugar. If you want to bake the bars in a regular oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the bars for 25-30 minutes. The bars make a great snack, and we like them for a simple, nutritious dessert with a cup of tea or coffee. Because they are so nutritious, the bars also make great "grab and go" breakfast treats and pre- and post-workout snacks. The bars are great for after-school snacks, too. Enjoy!
Peanut Protein Bars -- Makes an 8-inch Pan
1/2 cup of oats (quick or old fashioned will work)
3/4 cup of pitted dates
1 15-16-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 large egg
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of dry roasted, unsalted peanuts, plus extra peanuts to sprinkle on top of the bars
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 cup of milk
Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Add the oats and dates to the bowl of a food processor with the S-blade and process the oats and dates together until the oats form a flour and the dates are fully chopped and incorporated into the flour. Add to the bowl of the processor with the oat/date mixture the chickpeas, oil, egg, and vanilla and process them in until fully incorporated and you have a relatively smooth mixture. Add the peanuts, salt, and baking powder and process them in until completely blended. You shouldn't see big bits of peanut. The peanuts should be ground and incorporated into the dough. Add the milk and process it into the dough. The milk will make the dough smoother and easier to spread. Spread the dough into the prepared pan, smooth it out, and sprinkle some additional dry roasted peanuts on top, if you'd like. Air fry the dough at 320 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Leave the bars in the pan, uncut, for 15-20 minutes. Then lift the bars from the pan, using the aluminum foil as a sling, and use a sharp knife to cut them. Store the bars, well wrapped, in the refrigerator if you are keeping them for more than a day or two.
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