Do you have a favourite chef or cook that you really love making (and eating 🙂 ) their recipes?
One of my fav’s is my buddy Michelle. I met Michelle last year – previous to my photo shoot. And how funny is this?…
It wasn’t until I’d been trying out her ideas and tips, chatting with her, that I realized she was the “Michelle” that had been a semi-finalist on Masterchef Australia! LOL… No wonder she was so awesome with her ideas and advice! 🙂
Michelle made this recipe the other day and I asked her if I could share it with my VFT Magazine subscribers.
You already know that I’m not into most protein bars, I prefer to make my own. Here’s a home made protein bar option from Michelle. The great part about home made is that you know exactly what’s in it.
(I know, it looks sooooo yummy…)
Vegan Cranberry and Banana Protein Bars (gluten free)
Recipe type: Snack Author: Michelle Koen Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 45 mins Serves: 3
Ingredients
12 dates
¼ cups boiling water
2 small ripe bananas
⅔ cup unsweetened almond milk (or low fat cow’s/coconut milk)
2 tbsp dried cranberries
3 scoops pea or rice protein powder (plain or vanilla)
1 tsp baking soda (optional if making raw)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
zest of ½ orange
Instructions
1. Place the dates in a small bowl and cover with the boiling water and set aside to soak until they become soft.
2. Preheat an oven to 150ºC/ 300ºF. Line a 10cmx20cm loaf line with baking paper and set aside.
3. Place the bananas, dates and date soaking water in a food processor or blender and mash until they form a paste. If you don’t have a blender you could use a fork.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the milk and stir until combined.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until evenly combined, but don’t over-work.
6. Spread the mixture along the bottom of the prepared dish and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
7. Cut into 3 bars and allow to cool before wrapping as individual serves.
Calories: 220 Fat: 2 Saturated fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 54.3 Sugar: 40.6 Fiber: 6.7 Protein: 25.6
Notes
Don’t be tempted to use whey protein as this is likely to make the bars too dense.
Due to the high protein content, I wouldn’t recommend keeping these out of the fridge for more than 3 hours.
Make sure you comment below! I can’t wait to hear your feedback after you’ve made them!
Enjoy!
Take care, kind regards
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com
VFT – Fun, Hot, NO B.S. Fitness!
Michelle is passionate about showing people how easy it is to prepare food that is healthy and packed full of flavour.
Michelle began sharing her love of food in 2007, when she produced two series of the online cooking show ‘Healthy Helpings TV’, making fast food healthy and healthy food fast. In 2008 she competed in bodybuilding as a novice figure shaping competitor and she remains passionate about physique sports. She was a 2009 Australian Masterchef semi-finalist, and contributes articles to Oxygen Magazine Australia.
Michelle regularly blogs and offers free healthy recipes at www.MichelleKoen.com
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