Recipe: Baked Chocolate and Peanut Butter Protein Bars (Gluten Free!)

Hello there, this is headless chook reporting for posting duties.

No seriously, this week has been another insanely busy one and I feel like I need to run myself through the photocopier and make six thousand duplicates just to get everything done. 

Luckily, however, I prepared myself for the busyness to come and got stuck into some serious food prep this past weekend - and that's when I realised there's one recipe I haven't shared with you guys yet! I've been making these Healthy Baked Chocolate and Peanut Butter Protein Bars week after week for months - but somehow I never got around to sharing them with you! 

After cutting stevia from my diet completely, I've struggled to find protein bars that are free from stevia or any other kind of sweetener and thus I've been making my own! Whilst I love my protein bites, I decided that a protein packed cake bar/brownie-like concoction simply could not be a bad idea - and so I set to work on creating just that! 

These bars are packed with around 18g protein per bar and only use honey to sweeten them - and they don't even use processed protein powders! They're about as clean as protein bars can possibly get and seriously, ridiculously delicious!

So let me share the recipe with you! 

Baked Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars Recipe 

makes 5 large bars or 6-8 smaller bars  that are low fat, gluten free, 

grain free, high protein, clean eating friendly and refined sugar free 

3 tbsp (~60g) honey * (use an extra tablespoon if you prefer things sweeter)

1 egg 

2 egg whites (60g or 1/4 cup) or another egg 

1/2 cup (40g) cocoa powder

1 cup (120g) peanut flour ur 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/4 cup water or milk of your choice (only use as much as needed)

Pinch of salt 

Optional: chocolate chips/nuts/mix ins of your choice

• Preheat oven to 180C/355F. 
• Line an 8x8" (or slightly smaller for thicker brownies) baking tin with baking paper and set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, mix your honey, egg and egg whites with your cocoa until combined. 
• Add in your peanut flour, baking soda and salt and add just as much water is needed to create a thick brownie-like batter.
• If using, stir through your chocolate chips or mix-ins.
• Pour your brownie mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
• Allow to cool before removing your brownies from the tin and chilling in the fridge. Slice and enjoy! (You don't have to chill them, we just prefer them cold - and it's easier to slice them this way!).
• These bars will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and freeze perfectly if stored in ziplock bags. Simply defrost when needed and enjoy!

But tell me, are you a meal-prepper? 

What are your favourite meals/snacks to make in advance?
And how has your week been so far?