Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Peanut Butter

Homemade Protein Bars

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Supposedly “healthy” protein bars resemble candy bars more than energy-lifting, muscle-building real food bars.

Consider a typical protein bar like the PowerBar:

Power Bar High Protein Bar Chocolate Peanut Butter

Nutrition Facts per Bar:

Calories 300

Calories from fat 50

Amount/Serving
% DV*
Total Fat 6g
9%
  Saturated Fat 3.5g
18%
  Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 5mg
1%
Amount/Serving
% DV*
Sodium 210mg
9%
Total Carb 39g
13%
  Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
  Sugars 19g
Protein 23g
46%

Ingredients: POWERBAR TRISOURCE™ PROTEIN BLEND (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CALCIUM CASEINATE), GLUCOSE SYRUP, CHOCOLATEY COATING (SUGAR, FRACTIONATED PALM KERNEL OIL, COCOA, WHEY, NONFAT MILK, SOY LECITHIN, NATURAL VANILLA FLAVOR), CANE SYRUP, GLYCERIN, MALTITOL SYRUP, NATURAL FLAVOR, PEANUT BUTTER, PEANUT FLOUR, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, ALMOND BUTTER, MINERALS: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ZINC GLUCONATE, IRON (FERROUS FUMARATE), COPPER GLUCONATE, CHROMIUM ASPARTATE, VITAMINS: VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID), VITAMIN E ACETATE, VITAMIN B3 (NIACINAMIDE), PANTOTHENIC ACID (CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE), VITAMIN B6, VITAMIN B2, VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN MONONITRATE), FOLIC ACID, BIOTIN, VITAMIN B12. CONTAINS ALMOND, MILK, PEANUT AND SOY INGREDIENTS. MADE ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES WHEAT.

The commercially-made protein bars contain four different kinds of sugars, highly-processed proteins, and a multitude of preservatives. The 38-ingredient long list compared to my recipe with only 6 ingredients, no sugar, and a natural source of protein.

Simply take my recipe for High Protein Cookies and bake in a pan instead of making it in cookie form. Cut into squares and wrap for on-the-go convenience.

I calculated that it costs less than $3 to make an entire batch of homemade protein bars (makes about 20 bars at 15 cents each!). Compare that to buying commercial protein bars that can cost $3 each!

Mine taste better, too.

Nutrition Facts per Bar
Amount Per Serving
Calories 115
Calories from Fat 58
Total Fat 6.4g
Saturated Fat 2.1g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 37mg
Total Carbohydrates 11.8g
Dietary Fiber 3.7g
Sugars 2.3g
Protein 5.1g
Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 4% • Iron 10%

 

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day: 

What are your thoughts on commercially-made protein bars? Do you buy them? If so, do you have a favorite kind? Would you consider making your own?

If your still in the mood for protein bars, try making Sweet Potato Spice bars or some Crazy Healthy Granola bars!

Again, apologies for the bad camera pictures!

I am Cookie Monster!

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Give me Cookies!

I am going to be out of town for a tennis tournament again this weekend, so I made a huge batch of High Protein Cookies.

Ginormous.  Huge. Like a triple batch of my original recipe.

They will probably be all gone by this weekend.

Why shouldn’t I eat cookies for all my meals?

They are High in Protein.

They have Vegetables in them.

And they’re full of Healthy Fats!

Not to mention super yummy!

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

 

If you were to eat one type of food all day long what would it be?

Perhaps eat pounds of nuts and nutbutters? Vegetables all day long? Eat an entire Chocolate Cake?

I would probably choose various types of oatmeal because I could change it up to create savory or sweet oatmeal.

 

Patriotic Pancake Sunday

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Sunday means Pancake day! Since tomorrow is Independence Day, that means it is Patriotic Pancake Sunday!

One Size Fits all Pancakes topped with Peanut Butter Frosting. Blueberries and strawberries complete the Red, White, and Blue look.

Peanut Butter and Jelly is an original American flavor, anyway.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

Did you celebrate Pancake Sunday today?

High Protein Cookies

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I’ve made High Protein Cookie Dough…

So the logical thing to do is make High Protein Cookies! Duh!

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High Protein Cookies

High Protein Cookies

~These cookies are high in protein because of the garbanzo beans. Don’t shy away from it, though, because it tastes fantastic! Dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and, of course, sugar-free

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, well-rinsed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup nutbutter (I prefer making it a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough by using peanut butter)
  • 1/4 cup nondairy milk (I used almond milk. Water will probably work, too)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  1. First, drain and wash chickpeas well. Make sure they are well-washed so that the cookie dough doesn’t taste like beans.
  2. Add all the ingredients except chocolate into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Adjust liquid as needed. Stir in chocolate chunks.
  3. Drop dough by Tablespoonfuls on an un-greased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake at 400* for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are nice and brown.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/06/15/high-protein-cookies/

These cookies make fabulous “protein bars.” I eat them before and after I work out. For my taste buds, they are perfect because I love bitter chocolate and non-sweet peanut butter. However, those who do not like unsweetened things may not like the flavor. I suggest adding a mashed banana to the batter. Not only would it taste fabulous, but it would add a bit of sweetness.

 

Health Benefits
  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
  • Chickpeas: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chickpeas.
  • Peanuts: These legumes are full of protein with 7g per ounce. They also have a great monounsaturated fat content that helps your heart and brain. Peanut is a good source of Coenzyme Q10 which protects the heart during the period of lack of oxygen example high altitudes and clogged arteries. It also has a high antioxidant and high niacin content that helps in the recovery of cell damage and provides protection against Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive problem.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day: 

After you work out do you crave carbs, fat, or protein? Do you crave sweet or savory?

I am always hot and sweaty after I work out, so I crave cold drinks like smoothies or a V8.


Pancakes and Peanut Butter.

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Hey Guys! This is a super short post today because I want you to check out my first guest post on Lauren’s blog, Whole Wheat or Bust. Check it out! I talk about some sugar-substitutes and a yummy sugar-free recipe at the end 🙂

But here are some of my eats the past couple days…I’ll give recipes to some of them later. If I don’t and you want the recipe, just yell at me!

Protein Berry Soft Serve
Afternoon came and I wanted pancakes( and peanut butter of course), so I whipped out a batch in 5 minutes(without a mix!)you guys are totally getting the recipe.
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Mondo Salad
Sausage, veggies, and noodles

So… What do you think?