This weekend was a long weekend which was exactly what I needed to help me recover from the beginnings of a cold and get caught up on things. We sometimes head out for the long weekend (like canoeing) but we often use it as a weekend to just get things done around the house. The weather was mixed this weekend so I was happy not to be out camping and instead choosing sunny breaks to go hiking on Nose Hill or go for a run.
One of my chores for the weekend was to make some snacks for biking. It gets expensive to buy protein bars, but I like having one in my bike bag. Last year I made these PB protein bars and they were pretty tasty so I decided to try them again, with a few changes.
Vanilla Coconut Protein Bars
1 cup nut butter
3 scoops vanilla protein powder (about 1/2 cup)
4 tbsp apple sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until combined into a somewhat crumbly dough. Portion out in approximately 1/4 cup scoops onto squares of wax paper.
Using your fingers, shape each portion into a bar. Fold the wax paper to create small packages (like an old time wrapped sandwich). Place individual bars into a larger ziplock and keep in the freezer.
I just grab a wrapped bar or two and pop them into a small plastic bag before stuffing then into my bike bag. They have way too many calories for a snack but are perfect when you want lots of energy in a small package. Now I just need to get my bike out on the road and take advantage of having my fuel all ready to go!