Adapted from Delicious as it Looks
For all you Clif bar, PowerBar and other energy bar eaters, if you’ve ever wondered how to make your own power bars at home (because you know I did), I found the perfect recipe for you! These delicious no-bake peanut butter bars are so super simple to throw together–all you do is toss the ingredients in a bowl and mix it all together, then press it into a pan and refrigerate. The bars have a nice, light sweetness to them that’s not overpowering and a power bar kinda texture. There are just enough chocolate chips to make you feel like you’re eating a treat, yet they’re high in protein and fiber so they fill you up and keep you going. I added in a few real peanuts and some sunflower seeds for crunch. Mmmm … and you know, these energy bars make a great grab-and-go snack or breakfast.
Also, think of how much money (and packaging) you could save by making your own power bars at home! And there’s another bonus: you know exactly what’s in the bars. No added preservatives or weird things. Just pure wholesome goodness.
I made these bars for the first time a couple weeks ago, but never got around to photographing them … because I kept eating them and eating them. I shared some with my parents while they were here … and before I knew it, they were all gone. None left to photograph. Oh well, I thought, I’ll just photograph and blog them next time I make them.
And then I was having lunch with my foodie friend Teresa yesterday, so I decided it was the perfect opportunity to whip up a little treat to bring for her and get her culinary opinion of them. She invited her daughter to join us for lunch, so I had two taste testers! Perfect!
They both really liked them … Teresa kept taking more bites, even though we were all stuffed from the delicious Indian food we had for lunch. Her daughter was excited to pass along the recipe to a friend whose kids are obsessed with bars.
If you decide to substitute all oat bran in place of the fiber powder, you’ll get a bit more protein (6.3 g per bar) and less fiber (3.2 g). Calories are also a little lower (88 calories per bar). The texture changes a bit when you do this and you will need a little more water or maple syrup to help it stick together. They actually look much prettier with all oat bran. I used all oat bran for the bars in the photo … but I think I prefer the texture of the bars with the fiber powder, and I definitely love the added fiber. Fiber is so good for your heart and your digestive system … and it keeps you full and energetic longer!
Note that I used oat bran, not oatmeal. Why oat bran? It’s got a gentler texture and higher fiber content (about double the fiber), which is definitely a plus in my book. You can find oat bran in the bulk section of your supermarket or in the health food section. If you have trouble finding oat bran in your local store, you can always buy it online.
This recipe makes a small batch, just 12 little snack-size bars. If you want more, feel free to double (or triple) the recipe. I store them in a covered container in the fridge (my little 7.5 x 5.5 inch pyrex rectangular dish – the 3-cup size – works perfect both for making the bars and storing them). If you don’t have a pyrex, a bread loaf pan would work great too.
Print
No-Bake Peanut Butter Power Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 small bars 1x
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup PB2 or other powdered peanut butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup oat bran
- 1/3 cup dextrin fiber powder (or more oat bran)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped peanuts
- 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- 1 Tablespoon sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the powdered peanut butter, water, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the fiber powder, oat bran, peanuts, mini chocolate chips and sunflower seeds. If the mixture looks too sticky, stir in a Tablespoon or two more oat bran. If it’s not sweet enough for your liking, add a packet or two of stevia (or sweetener of choice). If you’re using all oat bran, you’ll need to add a Tablespoon or two of water or maple syrup (one at a time) until the mixture sticks together.
- Line a 9x5x3 loaf pan or a small rectangular pyrex dish with parchment paper. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and pat it down flat. Set in the fridge for 2 hours. Cut into bars and enjoy!
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/
© Copyright 2019, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 - 2 bars
- Calories: 105
- Fat: 3.1 g
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