Homemade Protein Bars

[isol8d]

Protein Bars
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 24 (2-inch) squares
User Rating: 4 Stars


4 ounces soy protein powder, approximately 1 cup
2 1/4 ounces oat bran, approximately 1/2 cup
2 3/4 ounces whole-wheat flour, approximately 1/2 cup
3/4-ounce wheat germ, approximately 1/4 cup
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces raisins, approximately 1/2 cup
2 1/2 ounces dried cherries, approximately 1/2 cup
3 ounces dried blueberries, approximately 1/2 cup
2 1/2 ounces dried apricots, approximately 1/2 cup
1 (12.3-ounce) package soft silken tofu
1/2 cup unfiltered apple juice
4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/2 cup packed
2 large whole eggs, beaten
2/3 cup natural peanut butter
Canola oil, for pan

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper and lightly coat with canola oil. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the protein powder, oat bran, wheat flour, wheat germ, and salt. Set aside.

Coarsely chop the raisins, dried cherries, blueberries and apricots and place in a small bowl and set aside.

In a third mixing bowl, whisk the tofu until smooth. Add the apple juice, brown sugar, eggs, and peanut butter, 1 at a time, and whisk to combine after each addition. Add this to the protein powder mixture and stir well to combine. Fold in the dried fruit. Spread evenly in the prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Episode#: EA0906
Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

[isol8d]

My wife made a batch of these, we replaced the soy protein powder with whey protein, and we used 3 medium eggs rather than 2 large. A little bit too moist because of that.

I don't ever want a packaged for longevity protein bar again after these. We also played around with different dried fruits and nuts.....

I don't want to be a granola head.

[MrMcFu]

Oh lord, I can foresee some beautiful one liners on this thread.

[loki09789]

My wife made a batch of these, we replaced the soy protein powder with whey protein, and we used 3 medium eggs rather than 2 large. A little bit too moist because of that.

I don't ever want a packaged for longevity protein bar again after these. We also played around with different dried fruits and nuts.....

I don't want to be a granola head.

If you go to foodnetwork.com you can get granola/brown rice krispies recipes too.

The big thing that is so bad about the commerical ones is the palm oil/palm seed oil that they use to give them that moist texture. From the "Good Eats" episode (host Alton Brown - 'cool geek' in the vein of Bill Nye), palm seed oil is one of the few/only 'saturated fats' that come from plant sources that stays liquid at room tempature. Veg oils, olive oils, canola...all have some 'unsaturated fat' properties to them.

Palm seed oil, like drinking bacon fat straight as far as health value from what I saw on the show.

[loki09789]

My wife made a batch of these, we replaced the soy protein powder with whey protein, and we used 3 medium eggs rather than 2 large. A little bit too moist because of that.

I don't ever want a packaged for longevity protein bar again after these. We also played around with different dried fruits and nuts.....

I don't want to be a granola head.

How was realistic where the prep/cooking times on the recipe?

I made the granola bars at home and the clean up was murder. I should have hit the pan with hot water before all the sugars had time to brick up.

I also made the mistake of just leaving them in the oven at the end of the cook time and turned to oven off. THey weren't 'burnt' but the oils in the sunflower seeds definitely was bitter because of that oops.

[Quikfeet509]

Another recipe posted in this thread:http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...ht=protein+bar



Edit: the link I posted at the end of the other thread no longer leads to the correct place.

[isol8d]

Nice, that one seems easier. Something to whip up in flash. Didn't find that in my search.

Prep time was probably about 30 minutes on the ones we made.

[loki09789]

Nice, that one seems easier. Something to whip up in flash. Didn't find that in my search.

Prep time was probably about 30 minutes on the ones we made.

Do you think that the difference between soy and whey protein was a factor in the over moistness, or was it the volume difference of the eggs as a bigger factor?

Just a note from the guy that does 99% of the cooking in my house (I married my wife for her money and looks), the difference between med/larg/xlarg eggs is not a big deal. If you sub meds for larges no bigge. If you have to go meds for xlarges...maybe one more would be a good idea.

[isol8d]

Do you think that the difference between soy and whey protein was a factor in the over moistness, or was it the volume difference of the eggs as a bigger factor?

Just a note from the guy that does 99% of the cooking in my house (I married my wife for her money and looks), the difference between med/larg/xlarg eggs is not a big deal. If you sub meds for larges no bigge. If you have to go meds for xlarges...maybe one more would be a good idea.

I'm thinking it was the eggs. I do half the cooking but almost none of the baking. The mixture itself was runny compared to what we saw on television.

Good, even being moist. I'm going to experiment with different flavours next time I order powder. Maybe try a protein brownie.....

[oldman_withers]

I've never tried that recipe, but Alton Brown is a food god. I've been to a class of his in ATL and it was amazing. His scientific knowledge of the foodmaking process is rediculous, and he is really passionate about healthy, good food. If you get a chance to see his show, do. It comes on at 7:00pm every week day I think on Food Network. Anyway, sorry for the hijack, just wanted to throw that out there.