Making Protein Bars for Dummies (Pictorial)

[Shea_G]

I've used this recipe many times and think I have got it down pretty well so I thought I'de share it. I personally think these are very delicous, inexpensive and quite convenient.

Ingredients:

1) 5 cups of oats (I use Quacker Quick oats)
2) 12 scoops / 2 cups of protein powder (Highly suggest vanilla, I've tryed many other but none are even close)
3) 2/3 cups of peanut butter (I use organic/natural)
4) 1 cup of unsalted peanurs
5) 2 cups of milk
6) 1 tbsp. of vanilla (optional)

You can also add extras aswell if so desired (raisens, walnuts, ect.)



First add 5 cups of your choice oats to a large bowl.



Next add 2 cups protein powder.



Then 2/3 cups of peanut butter.



Add 1/3 cups of whole peanuts. You'll need the other 2/3 cups later.



Pour in the 2 cups of milk.



Now use a large spoon to mix your ingredients together until you form a thick paste. You should be able to stick the spoon in, hold the bowl sideways and it should stay up for several seconds. If its too wet add some oats, if its too dry add some milk. If you follow my amounts you should be fine.

[Shea_G]

Next get one of those large baking sheets and line it with tin foil. I like to spray the foil with pam, it helps you move the paste into place and remove the tin foil later.



Scoop the paste in as evenly as possible on the sheet.



Use your hands to push the paste evenly on the sheet. I spray pam on my hands when doing this, I find it helps to keep the paste from sticking to your hands too much. Once its even distributed I use an open palm to smack it down to compact it. I find that it helps them keep their bar shape later.



Place 2/3 cups of peanuts on a cutting board and use a rolling pin you break them down.



Sprinkly the peanut pieces on the brick of paste and use an open palm to smack them down flush with the top of the brick. I find this helps them become part of the bar so they wont fall off when handleing later.



Saran wrap it, put it in the fridge and let it set overnight.



Take it out of the fridge, take the saran wrap off and lay it upside down on a cutting board. Remove the baking sheet and peel off the tin foil.



Use a pizza slicer too cut up the brick into bars. I find 20 to be a good number and that what I will base my nutrition info on later. (I cut them up stupidly, I should have made 4 slices length wise and 3 width wise not the other way around for a bar shape instead of a square.

[Shea_G]

Almost done, grab a plate and line the bottom with saran wrap. Place 3 or 4 bars around the edge and cover with another layer of saran wrap. Repeat this until you've built a pyramid with numerous sealed layers. This will keep the bar fresher by only allowing one layer to be exposed when grabbing bars at a time.





Enjoy, I find the best way to take these on the go is lay them on a square of saran wrap and fold them up and use the saran wrap as a wraper later so you don't have to touch them with your bare hands.


Nutritional info.

Total

Calories = 5610
Fat (g) = 219
Saturated Fat (g) = 48
Trans Fat (g) = 0.2
Sodium (mg) = 1340
Carbs (g) = 402
Fibre (g) = 68
Suger (g) = 51
Protein (g) = 491


Per bar (20 bars)

Calories = 281
Fat (g) = 11
Saturated Fat (g) = 2.4
Trans Fat (g) = 0.0
Sodium (mg) = 65
Carbs (g) = 20.1
Fibre (g) = 3.4
Suger (g) = 2.6
Protein (g) = 24.1

[mgftp]

I repped you for the great write-up. Hopefully someone with more rep power helps you out as well. Thanks... but one question, why are there animal heads on your walls?

[BookMonkey]

One of the greatest posts I've seen in a while. Thank you for showing pictorially how easy it is to make your own protein bars. And it doesn't stop at this. You could easy cross mix protein powder types (starting with two batches and mixing them at the very end to have the swirls) and have pb and chocolate bars with peanuts and chocolate chips.

But yeah, animal heads in the kitchen...o_O

Quality post though...will read again. Repped.

Edit: On a side note, if you freeze them, they will thaw over time for later consumption. For example, long road trips, or being at work. Of course, this is after cutting them up.

[blkbelt42]

great work OP, outstanding post.

I repped you for the great write-up. Hopefully someone with more rep power helps you out as well. Thanks... but one question, why are there animal heads on your walls?

hows that?

[cultivateIT]

repped for awesome presentation skills.
would eat.

[Chrissief]

Look yummm! Thanks dude!

[Shea_G]

And it doesn't stop at this. You could easy cross mix protein powder types (starting with two batches and mixing them at the very end to have the swirls)

But yeah, animal heads in the kitchen...o_O

Quality post though...will read again. Repped.

Great idea, never thought of that.

[Shea_G]

As for the animal heads, were from South Africa (Canada now), more common thing over there I guess. (Notice the wooden spoon too?)

[themoose333]

When I saw the muscle milk in the first picture I didn't have high hopes, alas you made it into an awesome tutorial. I've never seen such a detailed protein bar how-to

Additional reputation given!

[ianianian]

you need to put the PB in a little water and microwave it for about 20 seconds


TRUST ME


i make something similar and doing this makes mixing much easier

[dustinh6719]

This is one of the best posts I've seen in the nutrition forums in quite a while. I'll give these a shot one day. Measly reps.

[No1Spartan]

I gotta try this! Repped!

[DenseUnit]

what if i put these in the oven for 20mins on high?

[AlwaysTryin]

Good work OP

[Chrissief]

what if i put these in the oven for 20mins on high?

Hmm, because there are no rising agents or active ingredients in it, I think it would burn pretty quickly... Not sure though.

[almightyares]

Repped for taking the time to post this. Will try soon.

[Shea_G]

what if i put these in the oven for 20mins on high?

I've tried it, doesn't work.

They just dry out right away, especially the edges. I dont see why you would really want to though, they work perfect the way they are.

If after you make them you would like them a bit harder (I personally like them soft, taste better and has better consistency) you can dry them out by letting them get some air by leaving the saran wrap off for a couple of hours or a day.

[VendettaV2b]

Ive got 2 buckets of protein already at the moment (choc and strawberry) im not gonna buy anymore yet so wondering will choc be nice or awful ?

(Syntha-6 )

[Mrcaptfalcon]

great work, but a quick question, does the expiration date of the milk matter?

i know it should be good before baked, but say i use milk that expires feb 1. if i bake on january 18th can i eat the bars on feb 14th?

[Shea_G]

Ive tryed chocolate (couple different brands), mint chocolate, cinnamon bun and several vanillas.

Vanilla>>>>>>Cinnamon bun>Mint Chocolate>Chocolate.

If I was in a pinch I'de use chocolate again but dont expect them to taste great.

[martial-man420]

how long does these things last? With the milk they can't last that long? You keep them in the fridge?

Awesome post, will rep but I can't see it doing a lot.

[Shea_G]

great work, but a quick question, does the expiration date of the milk matter?

I've been curious about that myself, I have kept them for a month sealed in layers and they tasted and smell exactly like the day I made them but it has crossed my mind, someone else might know the answer.

[FunkymonkAW]

I don't suppose this recipe could go without the peanut butter? It seems to be the glue that holds everything else together.

[JDkeystone]

Ingredients:

1) 5 cups of oats (I use Quacker Quick oats)
2) 12 scoops / 2 cups of protein powder (Highly suggest vanilla, I've tryed many other but none are even close)
3) 2/3 cups of peanut butter (I use organic/natural)
4) 1 cup of unsalted peanurs
5) 2 cups of milk
6) 1 tbsp. of vanilla (optional)

Nice tutorial, but ingredient #4 sounds like "1 cup of unsalted penors" when read outloud lol.

[matslckhee]

how gooey are these? in the past i have had a hard time taking them on the go

[franko man]

definitely a sticky!
repped brah, awesome thread!!

[raidersreceiver]

where to cop that bag of proteins?

[matslckhee]

where to cop that bag of proteins?

costco