PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN GRANOLA SQUARES

If you know me, you will know I don’t tend to follow recipes very well. I have a habit of just throwing everything in a pan/ blender/ bowl and hoping for the best. But when it comes to recipe sharing this isn’t the most conducive thing in the world, plus it doesn’t always work out well, but clearly I like to live life on the edge…

However for the past year or so I’ve made these rice puff protein bars for my Mum, and with no recipe they tend to turn out different every time (sorry Mum) so I figured it was probably time I started noting things down.

The bars are super simple to make (story of all my recipes), plus they simple ingredients used to make them can be swapped dependant on what you have in. They're a great snack to throw in your bag or even to have as something sweet after dinner. I hope you love them.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup oats

1 1/2 cup puffed rice

1/2 cup chopped dates (OR raisins and other dried fruit)

2 scoops vanilla protein powder (chocolate works well too!)

1 cup mixtures of nuts and cacao nibs (my favourite to use with vanilla protein is a mix of cacao nibs and pistachios, and with chocolate protein almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and cacao nibs)

1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)

1/3 cup tahini (if you don’t like tahini use almond butter instead)

1/3 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)

1/4 - 1 cup almond milk*

(*I realise this is quote a big range! But your choice of protein powder will HUGELY affect how dry the mixture is and so will alter how much almond milk you need. The mixture wants to end up slightly sticky before you put it in the fridge to set).

Method:

Line a small baking tray with grease proof paper or cling film.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl - the oats, rice puffs, dates, protein powder and nuts.
In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients - the maple, tahini, peanut butter, coconut oil and 1/4 cup of the almond milk - stir well until smooth.
Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix well. If the mixture seems dry add more almond milk 1/4 cup at a time until the mixture is slightly wet and sticky.
Empty the mix into the lined baking tray and press down to make flat and even.
Cover and pop into the fridge for 1/2 an hour to set.
Remove from the baking tray and chop into bars or squares.
Store in a covered container in the fridge.