I’ve been lifting weights more regularly in addition to my usual running routine so I’ve been eating all sorts of weird protein-bar things. I’m a big fan of protein-packed smoothies but I also love a good Clif bar or granola bar after a workout. However, paying roughly a dollar per bar doesn’t make much sense. Aren’t they mostly just oats? And aren’t oats ridiculously cheap? So this week, I’ve started making my own version. The best part? I can throw in whatever ingredients I want. Which means these are packed with vegan chocolate chips. They probably aren’t super healthy but they do hit the spot after bench pressing 45 lbs (yeah, that’s right, I can bench press the bar… by myself).
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup soy or almond milk
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp Earth Balance or other vegan butter substitute
- 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (or raisins, or cranberries, or almonds, or a little of everything)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Form mixture into small balls and place in cupcake liners. They should roll up into balls easily like cookie dough. If not, you may need to adjust the ratio of wet-to-dry ingredients (either add more oats or more milk).
4. Bake 20-25 minutes until crispy.
Yields: 6 servings