I always get a little nervous when I write a personal post, but I’m always overwhelmed by your support.
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Since graduating from college, two things have happened:
1) I’m on the go a lot
2) While I’m not starving, I don’t want to go broke spending all my money on food. My paycheck is meager, so I’ve had to adapt, as I’m sure many of you have had to as well. Instead of buying fancy snacks at Whole Foods and local health food stores, I make my own, whether it’s a fruit-and-fake deli-meat-roll-up or trail mix.
Most filling, cost effective, and portable, however, are protein bars. When bought at the store they can cost anywhere from $1-4, and frankly I just can’t afford that. So once a week or so, I’ll make a big batch of bars, with whole ingredients I’ve already got on hand, and I save quite a bit of money.
Inspired by Mama Pea, I’ve gotten creative with my energy bars. I’ve made apricot/pistachio/hazelnut, carob/peanut butter, and now, chocolate/ pumpkin, made with prunes and pumpkin seeds. When cooked, prunes have an almost chocolatey taste (not to mention a great nutritional profile!) and wonderfully complement chewy pumpkin seeds.
Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Bars (Vegan)
Makes 8 bars
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup protein powder
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate peanut butter OR 1/2 cup peanut butter + 1 T cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup agave nectar
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin*
- 1/4 cup sugar*
- 2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 3 Tablespoons prunes, chopped
Preheat oven to 350˚ and coat a 9″ x 12″ pan (or whatever you’ve got) with cooking spray. Combine first five ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, mix agave, pumpkin, and sugar.
*Optional low-sugar adjustment: double pumpkin to 1/2 c. and omit sugar
Stir in peanut butter and mix well.**
Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until well combined.
Stir in chopped prunes and pumpkin seeds.
Evenly press batter into pan. This will require a bit of work; as the batter is on the dry side, you’ll have to redistribute it so the bars will cook evenly.
Bake for 15 minutes and NO LONGER. Trust me, they’re done! Allow to cool, then cut into 8 bars. Enjoy!
I like to keep these in the fridge… They keep longer, and they taste really good when cold!
Background music: Pandora’s Rilo Kiley station.
Dancing: optional.
**Here’s a helpful hint for measuring peanut butter using water displacement. Measure out an amount of water in a measuring cup; I started with 1/2 cup.
Add peanut butter until the water level rises to 1 cup, so you know you’ve measured the required 1/2 cup. Easy peasy! Just don’t forget to pour out the water 
These bars are famous! They featured on Glamour.com
Mmm… I’m going to have to try these! Thanks for sharing. Oh, I’m definitely going to keep the dancing part in the recipe
Have a great day!
I was *just* thinking of baking something with pumpkin! This cooler weather has me thinking of fall
and really, pumpkin and chocolate are an amazing combo!
My godness! these look so much better than the store-bought ones. I truly enjoy reading your blog, I get inspired to try new recipes (I am a vegetarian). If I find pumpkins in the supermarket in Sept/October where I live at present (Brussels) I will make the protein bars for sure!
cute pic of you, I will add station to my list on pandora
Water displacement = NERD = <3
I've always been tempted by the Alon Brown-style plungers
http://www.distinctive-decor.com/wonder-cup-measuring-cup.html
but your technique is both nerdy AND cheap!
Oh yeah, the bars look good too. Haha
I love making bars! My oven is broken but I’ve been making some no bake energy bars that are equally delicious and hold over well.
I also wanted to respond to your running journey post, but instead of making you check comments all over the place, I just decided to post here. I initially thought you’ve been running marathons way longer, so I was shocked to know your first marathon was a year ago. That’s about the time I started reading your blog. =D
I’m actually going to run my first marathon in about a week from now (after being invited by a co-worker). That’s why I was pleased to see your post about running (such good timing!) Do you happen to have any wise words? I’m not nervous (yet), just excited, but I don’t want to do something risky the last week before the day and end up a wreck.
Thanks for any help in advance and have a good day!
These sound awesome! I need to break out the pumpkin soon!
Sound like my kind of protein bar, yum! x x
I feel like growling this looks so yummy. I love pumpkin and lately as fall approaches I have been getting into the mood for making fall foods.
your creations amaze me! wow
I think I love all these ingredients, even prunes! Thanks for the great ideas. I totally spend too much on store bought granola bars right now.
Love that tip for measuring out peanut butter, which really is a tricky thing to do. I usually use my kitchen scale, but that can be a pain. This sounds much simpler!
these look great! i totally need to start making my own bars now that i’m gonna be on the go go go!
love that picture of you at the end
hope you had a glorious weekend girl! and i can’t belieeeeeve you’re going to france sooon!!
Homemade protein bars? Girl, you’re good! These sound yummy.
Yay! Another excuse to eat pumpkin!!
I don’t have the coconuts to be brave enough to make my own bars, but if I was going to they would have to have pumpkin. I am itching for some good pumpkin since the seasons are turning.
I LOVE Dark Chocolate Dreams! I could eat the whole thing, no problem! Haha. Love the dance pose, and those bars look yummy! I hope all is well, haven’t been blogging much lately but I’m going to have more free time now that I have 3 weeks until I’m laid off. Haha. xoxo!
These bars look delicious and I love that idea for measuring pb – great tip!!
Fantastic posting and genuinely aids with understanding the topic much better.
I love this healthy and easy recipe.
Do you think I can sub the whole wheat flour with almond flour?
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’ve read your blog before but this is the first time I’m commenting.
~ Lea
How many calories and fat grams?? do you know
I was driving home from work today, and suddenly I remembered this post. I quickly turned into the Whole Foods and picked up the ingredients I didn’t have (I was working from memory, so I forgot the pumpkin seeds and protein powder…but I’m sure they will be delish anywho. I’ll substitute sunflower seeds, maybe).
I can’t wait to try them! They’re in the oven right now.
protein bars always come in handy whenever you need lots of protein after a heavy exercise `
These look delicious! I’m never that crafty in the kitchen. DIY trumps store-bought any day
right on our supermarket, i can buy some cheap protein bars which i always consume when doing workouts ;`.
I really like that. You touched my heart!
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