There you stand, in the grocery store, wishing that you had enough money to get you some of those crazy expensive protein bars. Sadly, you turn away, lamenting your puny muscles, wishing that there was some way to get protein bars without all the extra packaging and high prices. Well pay attention, for here is how to…
Make Your Own Protein Bars
Thanks to Krista’s protein bar recipe, I was able to make some protein bars of my own. Follow along with this picture essay, and you will learn the secrets of how to make some cheap, homemade protein bars.Here are the ingredients. If you want to use some eco-friendly protein powder, or organic bananas, or what have you, then by all means do. I opted for the cheapest ingredients for this demonstration.
- Banana
- Whey protein
- Oats
- Peanut butter
- Raw Peanuts (optional)
The whey protein, oats, and peanut butter will be in a 1:1:1 ratio. As for the nanner, I just used one. Measure out your oats.
Grind up them oats in a blender or food processor. Sadly, I have no food processor, so I was forced to use this blurry blender to make some oat flour.
Voíla. You should now have some oat flour. Mix the oat flour with your whey protein powder, using a 1:1 ratio. Hopefully it’ll look like this:
Plop some peanut butter down into the oat flour, and try your best to mix it in. Since I used a cup of oats, I’m using a cup of peanut butter also (remember the 1:1:1 ratio).
Go ahead and blend up that nanner. If you want to save some electricity, you may mash the banana by hand or foot.
Mix the mashed banana into the whey protein powder/oat flour/peanut butter mix. Here I had to use a fork AND spoon to mix this all together.
Wash yo’ hands, because it’s about to get messy up in hur. Lay some wax paper down in a pan, like so, and begin spreading your mixture onto it:
Pat it down, hit it with a fork, whatever it takes, until you have a good, (sort of) even layer:
You can stop here if you want, or you can take it one step further if you dare. I dared, so I pushed some raw peanuts into the protein bar batter to give it some extra *crunch*.
Put this bad boy into your freezer for a few hours. Wait ’til it gets nice and cold and firm, then take it out. It is now time for the FINAL PROCESSING. Slice your frozen square of mess into homemade protein bars. I used a pizza cutter and it worked like a charm.
When you’re done, you can wrap the protein bars individually, using that same wax paper, or just put them in a tupperware container. Either way, put them in the freezer when you’re done.
Congratulations, you are now the proud owner of some cheap, homemade protein bars. Remember, you can customize the taste (with cinnamon, honey, cocaine, etc.), so if they taste like crap, then change it up.EDIT: Taste – My first bite was no good, but either they got better with time, or the taste grew on me. It tastes like peanut butter, with some graininess. Next time I might add in some other flavors…
April 21st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
excellent post. it really is a shame that i’m too lazy to do this.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:34 pm
how’d it taste?
April 21st, 2008 at 5:48 pm
It tasted of cold grainy peanut butter with some peanuts mixed in.
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
you inspired me to make plain granola bars with peanut butter, cinnamon, and vanilla due to lack of whey.
I did find it easier to melt the peanut butter first because it made it easier to mix.
thanks
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:23 pm
That’s great! I need to try melting the peanut butter next time, too.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:45 am
Hi, I think the grainy taste can go away by adding a little bit of water.. – Also, this is quite a mass gaining bar… If you want to make a diet bar, you can make a tasty one with a recipe of (per bar) 30g protein powder, 20g oats, 5g of 85% high cocoa content chocolate, a teaspoon of olive/flaxseed oil and a LITTLE bit of water (MAYBE 3ML) to make sure it all sticks.
Make sure you really mix it together before deciding to add more water.
-the nutrtional content for a bar like this (depending on protein quality) is: 222 cals, 28g protein, 15g carb, 6g fat.
I like to add a few raisins for taste, so the carbs would be a little bit higher.
just melt the 5g of chocolate for a few secs in the microwave first, then add the oil and everything else.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:29 am
Ah, chocolate, very good idea. Also, the raisins would be a good addition. You sound like you’ve made some of these before; have you?
May 1st, 2008 at 7:27 pm
reminds me of the peanut butter balls I love to make:
peanut butter
oats
dry soy milk powder (or regular dry milk)
honey
Mix together (I forget the quantities…I now mix it to taste.). Form them into balls and refrigerate. I’ve also added nutella to these.
they are so deliciously good! A great snack when craving sweets, but packed full of energy.
May 5th, 2008 at 8:48 am
I’m not a hippy, but I’m all about efficiency and/or frugality. This is a great idea considering protein bars usually have that artificial sweetener taste after a while anyway. The cocaine would be a nice touch.
May 5th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
The cocaine ups the price quite a bit, unfortunately
June 19th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
try tempering some chocolate and coating the original with it. I think this is the way to go!
June 19th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Oh man, I might try that… I’ve heard you have to be pretty precise with tempering chocolate, so I gots to do some reading up on that.
July 24th, 2008 at 11:06 am
try adding dried fruit also 2tbsp honey and 1tsp of maple syrup.
great (all organic)
July 24th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Dang, honey and maple syrup. Had not thought about those. I wouldn’t mind adding some dried cranberries in, I tell ya that much.
August 1st, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Honey? Maple syrup? These are but poor excuses for sugar. Neither has a lower GI than sugar, so it might as well BE it.
Dried fruit is also a poor excuse although generally has a somewhat lower GI.
Instead, use stevia- barely any actual sugars, low-GI, and tons of sweetness.
August 23rd, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I don’t measure, but make this to taste. Use peanut butter, oatmeal and some chocolate milk powder. Mix ingredients with a little milk untill it’s a thick consistancy and tastes really good! Put in a small snack sized pouch of raisins and a small handfull of mini marshmellows! Scoop into bottom of container lined with foil, seran wrap, or wax paper. Place in freezer and freeze for a couple of hours. Take out of the container lifting the barrier, and cut into bars… AMAZINGLY GOOD!
November 25th, 2008 at 11:21 am
greet stuff making these bars since oh but after a stay in rehabb ive stoped useing the coke. how ever a few dried magic shrooms does the trick um um .
November 25th, 2008 at 11:55 am
That's the ticket. Also, mushrooms can be grown in an eco-friendly way. Kudos to you, fine sir.
December 14th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
[...] Looking for photos of this recipe? Check out EcoJoe’s step-by-step photos here. [...]
December 14th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
[...] Looking for photos of this recipe? Check out EcoJoe’s step-by-step photos here. [...]
May 21st, 2009 at 6:20 pm
you are funny, i love this blog!
May 21st, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Gracias for that, if you really love it you can tell all your friends (and enemies!) all about it.
June 12th, 2009 at 11:31 am
[...] EcoJoe offers a great recipe for protein bars. Making your own protein bars at home cuts out packaging, [...]
September 10th, 2009 at 1:57 am
Find your old bread machine (maybe it didn't sell at that yard sale and it's still in the attic). Just put all the ingredients in the bread pan and turn it on for the first stage. Leave the top up and use a spatula to help get the ingredients off the sides. When it forms a ball, then turn off the machine and spread it in the pan. This is an especially good way to do this if your hands ache from arthritis or carpel tunnel.
If you didn't measure exactly it may be a little dry, so if it looks like it won't form a ball, add water or fruit juice a tablespoon at a time while it is mixing.
September 10th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Mary D., that is a good idea. Anyone with a bread machine will be happy to use that pro tip.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Great funnny and easy nutrition, loved it all, I’ll be back
October 6th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I just used banana flavored protein!!
January 17th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Sorry, aber das bezweifel ich ganz stark…Baer