Make protein bars yourself: a quick and easy healthy substitute!
Are you looking for a healthy alternative to sweets and want to meet your protein needs in a natural way? Protein bars are the perfect candy substitute for you! With just a few ingredients and a little effort, you can easily make delicious bars yourself. We'll show you how you can easily make healthy snacks yourself.
Why make it yourself?
Protein bars are a popular snack that is in high demand, especially among athletes and people who are watching their diets. They are a healthy alternative to sweets and are particularly suitable as a source of energy in between meals. But unfortunately, many bars on the market contain unhealthy additives and artificial sweeteners. That's why it's worth making the bars yourself to make sure you're using really healthy and natural ingredients.
What makes a good homemade bar?
A good homemade bar should be made of high-quality ingredients and be free of unhealthy additives. It should contain enough protein to meet your protein needs and taste delicious at the same time. Consistency is also important - bars should be easy to shape, but not too sticky or dry. Another important factor is shelf life.
To ensure they stay fresh for a long time, they should be well wrapped and stored in a cool, dry place. Adding honey or flaxseed can also help extend shelf life. In general, bars should be eaten as fresh as possible, as this is when they taste the tastiest.
So it's best to try to make a small amount at a time, which can be used up within a few days. This way you can ensure that you can always enjoy fresh protein bars.
Low Carb or High Protein?
If you are looking for a low carb or high protein diet, homemade bars are a great choice. You can make sure you're getting enough protein without eating too many carbs. For example, if you want to go low carb, then when it comes to dried fruits, look for fruits with a lower carbohydrate content.
These include goji berries or cranberries, for example. Using cocoa nibs or nut puree instead of dried fruit can also help reduce the carbohydrate content. On the other hand, if you want to get extra protein in, make sure the nut butters you use are as high in protein as possible.
Cashew puree and almond puree are particularly recommended in this regard. You can also add protein powder to further increase the protein content of your protein bars.
The basics
Use high-quality ingredients: for example, cold-pressed almond paste or cashew paste instead of peanut butter, which often contains a lot of fat and sugar. Also look for quality in dried fruits - make sure they come without additives like oil or sugar.
Experiment with ingredients: There are countless ways you can vary your bars. Try different nut milks and dried fruits and combine them to create new flavors. Superfoods like chia seeds, flax seeds or goji berries also work well in your bars.
Consider consistency: To make sure your bars hold together well, make sure the consistency fits. As a rule, the dough should be easy to shape, but not too sticky or dry. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more dried fruit or nuts, if it's too dry, a little more nut puree or honey.
Recipe - Healthy protein bars with almonds and dried fruits.
Ingredients:
1 cup almond paste
1 cup dried fruits (e.g. dates, apricots, raisins)
1 cup nuts (e.g. almonds, cashews, walnuts)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tbsp. honey (optional)
1 cup dried fruits (e.g. dates, apricots, raisins)
1 cup nuts (e.g. almonds, cashews, walnuts)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tbsp. honey (optional)
Preparation:
1. finely chop nuts and dried fruits in a stand mixer or food processor. Alternatively, they can be chopped appropriately with a knife.
2. Add almond paste, chia seeds and honey (if using) and mix well.
3. Pour the mixture into a bowl and knead with your hands to form a firm dough.
4. Form the dough into small bars and spread them on a baking sheet.
5. Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the protein bars for one hour. Remove the bars from the refrigerator and divide them into individual portions. You can either eat them immediately or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
2. Add almond paste, chia seeds and honey (if using) and mix well.
3. Pour the mixture into a bowl and knead with your hands to form a firm dough.
4. Form the dough into small bars and spread them on a baking sheet.
5. Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the protein bars for one hour. Remove the bars from the refrigerator and divide them into individual portions. You can either eat them immediately or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tip: You can also add a little extra flavor to the protein bars by sprinkling them with cocoa nibs or cocoa powder, or adding chopped nuts. Just try out different ingredients and find your personal favorite combination. And now get to the food processors and try out your very own creations.