Homemade chocolate chip cookies after school has to be the best thing ever. But none of us (or our kids) need a 4pm sugar rush.
My goal for an afternoon snack is that has protein to power some afternoon play, some healthy fats to stimulate brain cells to get that homework done, and not too heavy that there will be no room for dinner in a couple of hours.
These protein chocolate chip bars are perfect. Not sure if you could make them into cookies – I might try that next time – but adding the dough to a baking dish is much quicker than scooping out cookies anyway.
These bars are gluten, dairy, soy, and sugar free if you use the right vegan protein powder. This is what we use on our house -> IDLife Vegan Shake. Swap the almond butter for sunflower seed butter and you also have a nut free snack with no change in the taste profile.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
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3/4 cup Vegan Vanilla Protein Powder
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1/2 tsp Baking Soda
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1/2 tsp Sea Salt
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1 tsp Gelatin
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1/2 cup Almond Butter (or Sunbutter for Nut Free)
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1/2 cup Monkfruit Sweetener
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1 Egg, at room temperature
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1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
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1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (Sugar and/or dairy free)
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
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Combine protein powder, baking soda, salt, and gelatin in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
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Add almond butter and sweetener to a stand mixer and mix until creamy. Then, add eggs and vanilla until well combined.
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Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
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Spread in 8×8 inch dish and bake for 22-24 minutes until edges are slightly brown and center is set (you still want it to look a little undercooked in the center).
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Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing.
