Vegan Peanut Butter Choc Chip Protein Bars & Stories We Tell

Happy Monday, Bloggie Friends!  Are you back at work, school, or are you lucky enough to have the day off and you're lounging around the house reading blogs?  What did you do over the weekend?  Saturday I went to yoga like I mentioned and hung out with the fam the rest of the day.  Sunday I went to yoga, and then ran around like a mad woman to 3 grocery stores: WF's, TJ's, and the regular grocery.  I know, you're jealous you couldn't come on the Sunday Morning Shuffle Mad Dash with me to 3 markets.  Kidding!  I came home and got to work on fun stuff like cleaning produce, folding the laundry, and working on my yoga & raw food retreat details, which will be announced this week.   Today I went and did some more yoga and have been busy making phone calls and organizing details, and just being crazy with the housework; laundry, dishes, veggie chopping, and taking care of my peanut.  Whew, I've been busy!

Thanks for your feedback, and if anyone wants to chime in more about why you can or cannot attend, let me know!  Obviously price is an issue, as is time of year/dates/scheduling, but we're talking a week on the beach in San Diego in August.  Hello, this is gonna be fun!!!!


But moving along, I'm glad you enjoyed my Weekly Highlights & Recap post where I recapped everything from Raw Vegan Dark Chocolate Cherry Balls

 

to Raw Salads & Homemade Vegan Salad Dressings

to My Balls & Holes Compilation Post

to my Chocolate Recipes Compilation Post.

Go check out the Highlight Reel from Last Week if you Missed It!

And if you missed the Chia Seeds Give Away Winner for the contest, please go Check That Out!

And yesterday I made you slobber all over your screen teased you with Raw Vegan Cheesecake

Just a few ingredients, and it's soy-free, gluten-free, vegan...

But Really, It's just Plain Awesome!

But let's Move On to Today's Recipe...
There are so many ways to create homemade protein, energy, or snack bars.  Whatever you call them, I call 'em good!  I know Susan made some, Sheri has made some, Pam just made some, Julie Lynn made some, Kris just made some, and countless others have made their own homemade energy & protein bars.  Heck, I even made homemade LaraBars ....
...Before I started just making Balls and Holes

But although the Balls and Holes are awesome, for something with a little added value protein, try these on for size:
Averie's Vegan No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars
1 Ripe Banana (mashed)

1.5 c Oats
1/2 c Shredded Coconut (I used sweetened)
1/2 c Raisins (or date chunks, cranberries, craisins, dried cherries/mangoes/apricots/etc. Any dried fruit will work)
1/2 c Chocolate Chips (or carob, butterscotch, white chocolate chips, etc.)
1/2 c Maple Syrup (or agave, yacon syrup)
1/2 c Peanut Butter (or any nut butter, i.e. almond, pecan, cashew, etc.)
The Following Ingredients are Optional but I used them all:

2 to 4 scoops of Protein Powder (I used 2 heaping scoops of Sun Warrior Brown Rice Raw Vegan Protein Powder in Vanilla flavor.  And if you don't care about the protein aspect or don't have on hand, just omit the Protein Powder all together)
2 Tbsp Flax Seeds
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds 
1.5 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Yields: Approximately 10 decent sized bars
Note: The above are rough measurements and you can use the kitchen sink mentality on this recipe: a dash of this, a dab of that, don't have this but have tons of that, throw everything in but the kitchen sink strategy and they will "work".  I promise. 

Storage: I store mine in the freezer, individually wrapped, so I can grab and go as needed.  They soften up quickly at room temp, and will keep for a month or more in the freezer. 

Also see my  Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bars which is this recipe plus 1/4 c coconut oil,  and I have updated more info towards the tail end of this post on those. 

The Steps for the No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars
First Mash the Banana

The add the Oats, Coconut...

...Flax & Chia Seeds.  And the Protein Powder's buried under there somewhere.

...Raisins, Chocolate Chips

Did someone say Chocolate Energy?

Add the Peanut Butter.  I promise, I didn't plan it to look that pretty.  It looks like a musical note rolling backwards.  Yes, this is how my brain operates. 

Flood With Add the Maple Syrup, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon

Stir it all Together

Sweet! Raisins and Chocolate Chips with Coconut Flakes all stick-ified together with maple syrup!

Press into a tupperware-style Container or 8x8 Pan (or use whatever you want, even a cookie sheet with a raised edge will work)

I used plastic wrap underneath as to create less messy dishes for myself.

Popped it in the freezer for a few hours.  
After the Big Freeze:

It got hard. (TWSS)

And I cut the semi-hard slab into 10 bars.

Some I made Square like ProBars
Commercial Grade: ProBar

Homemade: Averie Bar

Some were Thinner and Longer...

....like Balance Bars

Commercial Grade: Balance Bar

Homemade: Averie Bar

I Wrapped them up in plastic wrap for Lunches and On-The-Go-Snacks

And I have to say that These...

...Look Taste alot better than These.

The active work time on these is about 10 minutes, not including freezer time.   Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan, High Raw (No-Bake), and they taste great!  The rest doesn't matter if they don't taste good, right?!

Make Them.

Optional Add-In's, Extras, Tweaks, Variations: 

• Use Christmas Cookie Cutters and make Stars, Reindeer, Gingerbread men, etc.
• Shape into logs, bars, biggerballs, squares, hearts
• Decorate with Sprinkles!!!
• Frosting or Icing (see my Raw Vegan Icing Recipe Here)
• Roll finished product in: Cinnamon-Sugar, Brown or White Sugar, Carob, Coconut, Cocoa Nibs, Cocoa Powder, Powdered Sugar, Shredded Coconut
• Dip in Maple Syrup or Agave
• Add in Carob, Coconut, Cocoa Nibs into the "dough" mixture.  
• 2 to 4 Tbsp of Cocoa Powder or PB2 would be awesome!
  
• Use raisins instead of dates, gogi berries instead of raisins, dried cranberries instead of dried cherries, etc.
  
• Use or combine multiple types of dried fruit rather than solely using raisins: gogi berries, dates, cranberries, craisins, apricots
  
• Dash of agave or coconut oil if mixture is too dry
  
• Dehydrate for a more "cooked tasting" version. 
  
• Flatten or mold into larger cookie/bar shapes  
• Double the recipe to share with others.   I like to make dessert recipes that don't make a ridiculous quantity so you're not tempted to eat the whole thing in a sitting!  But also, smaller batches are nice because that way you get to try it, but then move onto something new & different.  Variety is the spice of life, I tell ya!

Edited to Add:  Have you seen my Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bars?
If you want to make those seen here, simply add 1/4 c coconut oil to the previously mentioned list of ingredients.  

 Can see the Peanut Butter woven into the inside of the bar here?  oh yeah, baby!

And the flavors of coconut, chia & flax seeds, mashed banana, oats, maple syrup, cinnamon, chocolate chips, well...they are really tasty in combination together!

**The coconut oil will help the bar solidify a bit more and make it less soft, but is not an essential ingredient if you don't have or like coconut oil.
 


Since woman cannot live on Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars alone, I try to eat my weight in Greenery, daily.  

This meal was Kale, Brock, Cukes, Sugar Snap Peas, Cauli, and Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing.

This one was raw kale, mixed greens, tomatoes, red peppers, carrots, cauli, brock, cukes and Vegan Holiday-Spice Orange Vinaigrette

With a baked potato on the side

And snack time/dessert time was, of course, a Vegan No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bar!

Yoga Today is Scorpion Pose (Vrschikasana).  Which is very similar to Scorpion that I posted the other day.  The difference is that today's version is a Handstand Version and the previous Scorpion was a forearm balance.

Tip of the Day:  Before you say yes, or no, to something, because you think to yourself, "There's No Way that Will Work For Me Because..."  I encourage you to break free from the mental scripts, stories, reasons, excuses, rationale, you name it, that is limiting you from exploring new options.  Rather than allowing your past experiences and current mental scripts & stories to deny you from doing something or becoming the person you want to be, I encourage you to shut down the negative thoughts or the negative story that is playing in your head, and begin to give this new opportunity or new prospect on the horizon a chance to unfold and to happen!  


For Example:
You Say, I cannot workout today because X.
Or, I cannot attend this event tomorrow because A.

Or, I cannot eat this food today because Y.
Or, I cannot be friendly to this person because they are Z.

Or, she has done Z to me so I can't do Y.
Or, I cannot leave this relationship because I have to X first.
Or, I cannot move from this town because of Y is in the way.
Or, I have to stay in this job because of Q.

Really, the scripts and stories we tell ourselves are endless.  There is always a reason to say, "But no.  I can't.  I shouldn't.  That won't work because..."

*And sometimes, you're right.  It Won't Work.  

I simply mean do not immediately discount something because a script is too ingrained or you are too set in your ways to let something new happen or unfold.   Can you embrace change or are you telling yourself all kinds of stories why you cannot?


For me, parenthood was the biggest catalyst in changing my own mental scripts, story-telling, and receptiveness for change and new experiences.

And parenthood = The Best Gift Ever

I used to say, oh, but I have to watch this show, eat this food at this time, I have to work this many hours per week, I need to have all this housework done, I cannot get together with so-and-so because I already have to do this-and-that, and the list goes on and on... 


...Until you have a small child who didn't get the message that you wanted to watch tv, sleep, eat when you want, get together with a friend at a set day & time, or even shower when you want.  I am so much less controlled by my mental scripts & stories now that I ever was before simply because, that's just the way life is now! 

This lil one loves her downward dogs, just like her mama does!

How about you?  Are you controlled by your mental scripts and stories?  What stories are you trying to break free from?  What things would you like to embrace, change, or experience...and that if you can just get over your mental hurdle, you feel like a whole new world would open up?  Or is this easy for you?  What helped you overcome your mental nay-saying?  If you live a really predictable, control-freak life, is this something you'd like to work on?  What are you doing to help yourself break free from all your limiting mental chatter and ingrained stories?

Stay Tuned For A Mexican-Themed Vegan Feast & Raw Foods/Yoga Retreat Info This Week...