d’Arabian Family Protein Bars

My family is always on the go, and we love protein bars. But so many of them have preservatives and ingredients I don’t like. By making our own, I can control what’s going into them. Best of all, my kids love them.

By Melissa D'Arabian | Experience Life

Makes10 servings
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes

Ingredients
Directions

Ingredients

Olive oil in a mister or nonstick pan spray
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tbs. sunflower seeds
3 tbs. unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbs. lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 tbs. coconut oil (if solid, microwave until melted)
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup almond butter
2 tbs. honey
1/2 cup vanilla or chocolate-flavored whey protein powder
3 tbs. roasted almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick pan spray.

STEP 2

Mix the oats, sunflower seeds, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

STEP 3

In another medium bowl, stir together the coconut oil, yogurt, almond butter, and honey. Add the yogurt mixture to the oat mixture, and mix until the two are thoroughly combined. Stir in the protein powder, almonds, and cranberries. The mixture will be sticky.

STEP 4

Spread the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 15 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and let the mixture cool slightly, then slice it crosswise into 10 bars. Carefully remove the bars from the baking dish and use a spatula to transfer them to a parchment-paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.

STEP 5

Return to the oven and bake until the bars start to turn golden, about 15 minutes longer. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, transfer the bars to a wire rack, and cool completely. Wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one week.

Nutritional information

This recipe originally appeared in “Supermarket Healthy: 5 Budget-Friendly Recipes From Melissa d’Arabian.” Photographer: Tina Rupp.

By Melissa D'Arabian

After winning season five of The Next Food Network Star, Melissa d’Arabian launched her own television program, Ten Dollar Dinners, focusing on affordable recipes. She writes a nationally syndicated weekly column for the Associated Press and has penned two cookbooks, Ten Dollar Dinners and Supermarket Healthy.