Protein Bars with Chocolate and Maca – The Healthy Snack for Hormone Balance

My interest in raising my protein intake made me understand that I need to stop relying on store-bought protein bars and make my own recipe, because I need to be sure that all the ingredients are whole and health-approved.

I took advantage of the upcoming Valentine’s Day and created this pinkish low carb protein bar recipe using nut butter, protein powder, nuts and coconut oil. These easy protein bars are packed with amino-acids, loaded with healthy fats and magnesium to support a balanced hormone balance and bathed in chocolate for a delicious twist. Pin

IS IT CHEAPER TO MAKE YOUR OWN PROTEIN BARS?

My answer is definitely yes! If you buy your ingredients in bulk, you will not only be able to make your protein bars cheaper at home, but also make larger batches that will save you both time and money, while enabling you to have a healthy snack in hand whenever your cravings pop in.

Here are my calculations: 500 g sunflower seeds – $1,25; 500 g almonds – $8; 200 g homemade mixed nut butter – $5; 300 g hemp powder – $5; 500 g rolled oats – $1; 200 g coconut oil – 5$. TOTAL: $25,25 for 36 bars about 60 g each. The medium price of a protein bar on the market is $1,5 while my price is $0,7.

So definitely, it is cheaper to make your own protein bars at home. Do not worry about the large number of protein bars you can get when making them in bulk. In case you are wondering how long does protein bars last – they keep just fine in the freezer for up to two months.

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ARE PROTEIN BARS GOOD FOR YOU?

I see the protein bars as the easiest way to raise your protein intake without spending too much time cooking a protein-packed meal. Especially for those days when you don’t have time to properly cook or you didn’t organise yourself with a meal prep, having a protein-loaded snack in hand will help you maintain a minimum of proteins to support your body activity throughout the day.

When made at home, without palm oil, sugar, dextrose or any other refined ingredient or preservatives, a protein bar can nourish your body cells with a balanced intake of diverse quality amino-acids from plants, healthy fats to support the brain activity and hormone production, fibre for a good digestion and fuel for your microbiome, and essential minerals (magnesium and calcium) for a good mood, bone health and a balanced hormone production.

Sounds like the a panacea, and you can actually make your protein bar a healing medicine, especially if you add extra ingredients such as: adaptogens (I used Maca powder for mood improving, extra energy and increased estrogen production), superfood powders (I used beet powder for the pinkish hue, but also for its detoxifying properties, but you can also add: spirulina, açai powder, Matcha, bee pollen, chlorella etc) and chocolate for a good taste and an antioxidant kick.

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PROTEIN-PACKED FOODS YOU CAN ADD TO YOUR PROTEIN BARS

1. Nuts and Seeds – between 8 and 18 % of the standard daily recommended protein intake (about 50 g) per 100 g – you can use a mix of any of the following: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, cashews.
2. Nut Butters – I love making nut butters at home because I can mix any nuts I have in hand.
3. Quinoa or amaranth – you can use them cooked or puffed.
4. Protein powders – I prefer the hemp powder, but you can also use quinoa flour or pea protein powder.
5. Oats – about 12g protein per cup
6. Coconut flour – about 20g per 100g
7. Raw cacao – about 10g protein per 100g
8. Spirulina – 57g protein per 100g

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Looking for more delicious protein-packed snacks to fuel your afternoon cravings? Take a look at these:

Protein-Power Snack with Chocolate and Cashews

Millet Chocolate Bars

Peanut Butter Granola Bars with Pollen

Raw Energy Power Balls – 3 Ways

Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Fudge Bars

I love seeing your take on my recipes, so if you made this soup don’t forget to tag me @theawesomegreen so I can see them and share with the community!