At Home with GCH – Protein Bites and Bars

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  This month, along with the next six months also, I am on a “7” journey with a few friends.  We are fasting from some of the excess in our lives, and endeavoring to establish better boundaries to help us keep God as the focus of our hearts.  We are, it has been said, having a ‘mutiny against excess!’ It has been very good but not without challenges!  But I think challenges and trials are a necessary part of the journey when you are making lifestyle changes.  If you would like to take a peek at what we have committed to do, please follow this link and visit my friend Megan’s website,  The Future

Also here is a link to Jen Hatmaker’s book we are reading on our journey:  7 Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

This month, we have begun the journey dealing with excess in the category of food.  (Say, WHAT?!?) Yes, yes…. So here’s what Robert and I are keeping in our NON-excessive food list for the next 18 days (ready? it is a short list): eggs, chicken, salad greens, grapes (me) and strawberries (him), potatoes, broccoli, -and- protein bars and smoothies.  Also, I am endeavoring to have everything* that my husband and I eat be UNprocessed and made from fresh ingredients.

A few of my friends are supporting their desire to keep to this discipline of  “7” by having protein shakes and bars as part of their foods.  ‘Wow,” I thought, “that is a great idea…why didn’t I think about that?!?”  So, I did think about it!  And found some incredible ideas out there!  The two recipes that follow are adaptations of what I found.

I think that these bites and bars are healthy and satisfying on so many levels!

• The bites are “raw;” so good for you.  The bars are only lightly baked.
• They are loaded with protein.
• They are chock full of nutritious dried fruits.
• Use ‘better-for-you’ alternative sweetener.
• Great chew factor – ok, maybe only important to me 😉
• Easily adaptable to fit almost any eating style (vegan: substitute agave nectar for honey; gluten-free: substitute chia seeds–or just more flax–for wheat germ)

This recipe comes together almost more quickly than you can gather the ingredients!  Super simple, easy…and in the end…super healthy but oh-so-yummy!

Pistachio-Cranberry Energy Bites (makes 48 or so)

Ingredients:
8 ounces (about 1 packed cup) chopped dates
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1 tablespoon wheat germ
pinch of kosher salt
1+1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (dry, not cooked)
1 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
Combine the dates, honey, flax seeds, wheat germ and salt in a food processor, and pulse until smooth and combined. You should be able to stir the mixture—if it is too thick, add in another tablespoon or two of honey.

Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and add in the oats, pistachios, dried cranberries until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Once the mixture has been refrigerated (so much easier to work with), use a spoon or cookie scoop to portion out the energy balls, and give a quick roll to them.  (Mine were about 1-inch in diameter.)  Occasionally, you should rinse your hands and dry them; then start rolling the mixture again.  Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (Storing them in the refrigerator especially helps the bites keep their shape.)

Note: Instead you can line a small baking pan with parchment paper, and press the mixture evenly into the pan, let it cool, and then cut into bars.

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Now, these bars are of a totally different consistency…more like a cereal bar.  Very filling, tasty and delicious!

Breakfast Protein Bars (Paleo-friendly)

Ingredients:
1 cup blanched almond flour**
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  In a food processor combine almond flour and salt.  Pulse in coconut oil, honey, water, and almond extract.  Pulse in coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and raisins.
Press dough into a 8x8inch baking dish, (your hands should be slightly damp to pat dough down.)  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool.  Cut into 16 pieces.

NOTES: *The only “processed” thing that I am including in anything that I am preparing is protein powder for our bars and smoothies.

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, in regards to this blog, please email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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