Every day this week I packed one of these Apricot Vanilla and Nut Protein Bars in my lunch for work.  These things are stick-to-your-ribs hearty! It was my first attempt at making my own protein bars.  I scoured homemade protein bar recipes on Pinterest, in magazines, and on Foodgawker.  I took what sounded good from all sorts of recipes and tossed them into these.  Now I can’t stop thinking about the possibilities!

I’ve seen entire blogs dedicated a single food item done in different ways (like Rice Krispy Treats).  You could easily do that with protein bars.

I’m a true protein bar junkie!  Anytime we visit a grocery store I have to check out the protein bars. At the new Natural Grocers in Idaho Falls they have nearly an entire isle dedicated to protein bars.  I could easily spend an hour on that isle reading the labels! I could almost consider protein bar label reading one of my hobbies.

Ben and I have been on a health kick lately.  My twenty year high school class reunion is in exactly four weeks.  I’m trying not to be, or at least appear, shallow about the whole thing but I can’t help it.  I want to look good.  But I want it to seem effortless and that I don’t care about looking good.  I want it to seem like all I care about is being healthy and and working hard!  I’m actually embarrassed for myself right now.  My face is even a little red!

These bars are good! If you eat them you’ll be “HOT” and appear to have your crap together at your next high school class reunion!

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Apricot Vanilla and Nut Protein Bars

Ingredients

• 1 & 1/3 cups 136 g quinoa flakes
• 1/2 cup 60 g chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/4 cup 40 g chia seeds
• 1/4 cup 28 g shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• 1 cup 80 g whey protein (unsweetened or vanilla)
• 1 egg
• 5.3 oz. nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup 96 g almond butter
• 1/4 cup 84 g honey
• 1/2 cup 80 g chopped apricots
• 1/4 cup 30 g vanilla chips

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a large cookie sheet and an 8" x 8" x 2" pan with parchment paper.
3. Spread the quinoa, macadamia nuts, chia seeds, and coconut out on the parchment lined cookie sheet and toast on the middle rack of the oven for 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Stir dry mixture around on the cookie sheet and toast for another 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Transfer dry mixture to a large mixing bowl and let cool.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients to the quinoa mixture and stir until everything is well combined.
7. Scrape the mixture into the 8" x 8" lined pan and spread out evenly.
8. Bake for 14 or 15 minutes (until the edges start to brown).
9. Remove from oven an let cool.
10. Remove from pan by grasping the edges of the parchment.
11. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
12. Melt the vanilla chips in a small bowl in the microwave (in 10 second increments stirring in between) until completely smooth.
13. Scrape the melted vanilla chips into a Ziploc bag.
14. Snip a tiny corner of the bag off and pipe a little melted vanilla onto each bar.
15. Eat bars right away or wait until the melted vanilla chips set and wrap each bar individually and freeze.
16. Approximate Nutrition Facts (per bar): calories 247, protein 11.5g, carbs 24g, sugar 14g, fat 13g, fiber 4g.