Sometimes I feel uneasy about baking with protein powders. Fellow Oxygen blogger Natalie Pennington recently covered the topic really well here.

This recipe for homemade protein bars ensures that you get all the benefits of whey protein. Best of all, it is freakishly simple to make! It takes just ten minutes to slap all the ingredients together and your freezer does the rest. I usually make a batch on a Sunday to prep for the workweek ahead. I eat one bar for breakfast or split one bar into two little bars and eat as snacks (one in the morning and one in the afternoon). They keep well in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!

No-Bake Protein Bars
Ready in 40 minutes • Makes 6 servings

• 2 cups quick cook oats
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 4 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup water

1. Line a loaf dish with parchment paper.
2. Using clean hands, kneed all ingredients in a large prep bowl.
3. Spread dough into dish or pan, pressing down to flatten. Use a spatula smooth out the surface. Freeze for 30 minutes. Cut into six large bars. Serve and refrigerate the rest.

Optional ingredients:

• 1 tsp cocoa powder (add it in the mix)
• dried fruit
• raw maple syrup or honey (drizzle on top of pressed dough you put it in the freezer)

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 310, Total Fats: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 25 mg, Sodium: 30 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 28 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 22 g, Iron: 2

Helen Vong - Nutrition Editor