Protein Snack Cookies

Protein bars and granola bars have lost flavor for me. I'm tired of reading labels and seeing tons of unrecognizable ingredients. Plus every bar seemed to have crazy high sugar content. So I set out to find a recipe for something I could make fresh that could take the place of protein bars and granola bars in our pantry and lunch boxes. Criteria? Adequate protein and fiber, low sugar and edible.

Pinterest and several websites were used for inspiration. I read ingredients and recipes and combined a couple recipes that sounded like what I wanted and did a little tweaking. One batch was awful and a few were OK, but this one is my favorite. The best part of this recipe is that it adjusts for your tastes and for variation. I went with cookies because I know how to make cookies. Bars? Not so much. Plus smaller portions allow for a small appetite or a larger one.

Here's the stats:
No extra sugar, no wheat/gluten.
All natural ingredients.
Per two cookies: 128 cal, 5g fat, 13g carbs, 8g protein, 3g fiber (this may vary depending on the mix-ins you choose)

In a large mixing bowl combine:
1 1/2 cup mashed bananas/applesauce
(you choose the ratio. I start with the bananas and add applesauce up to 1 1/2 cups. You can do all bananas or all applesauce depending on what you have on hand)
2 eggs
1 T cinnamon (less if you don't love cinnamon like I do)
1 t. real vanilla
4 scoops vanilla protein powder

Stir in 2 1/2 cups instant oats. let sit for 5 minutes while you get the mix-ins ready. Then stir in desired mix-ins.

Mix-ins:
1/2 cup chopped nuts (my favorite is almonds)
1/2 cup dried fruit (my favorites are apricots or craisins. Watch out for added sugar.)
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips--optional (I have left these out, and it's fine, but they do make them seem more like cookies)

Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes on greased cookie sheet until just barely golden. Do not over bake, they will be too dry.

 

I store mine in the fridge in a Ziploc bag. These are super fresh ingredients and so cookies get moldy quicker than your average cookie. They stay fresh longer in the fridge. On busy days I toss some in my bag to curb hunger pains between meals. They are great at helping me avoid fast-food or "bad-for-you" convenience foods.

Enjoy!

 

Hope you like them!