These Ketogenic Energy Bars are my favorite bar recipe I’ve ever made BY FAR. They are LOADED with healthy fat and protein, so they’re wonderful to have on-hand to keep blood sugar stable throughout the day. They are also AWESOME to eat pre-workout. A word of caution, however: They turn to a puddle if they aren’t kept cold. I like to eat them out of the freezer, but the fridge will do, too.
Another great thing about them is that you can tailor the recipe to your macronutrient needs. Want less protein? Take out the protein powder? Want to skip some carbs? Take out the dried fruit!
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup macadamia nut butter (almond butter ok, too)
- 1/2 cup no-junk protein powder (I love Bone Broth Protein Powder
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins or dried cherries)
- 1 cup slivered almonds (or pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts)
- 1/2 cup cacao nibs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Utensils:
- parchment paper
- small rimmed rectangular or square baking sheet/cake pan (mines about 6×8 with 2 inch rim)
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- large knife
- cutting board
- Directions
- Whisk coconut oil, nut butter and protein powder in a medium bowl until smooth. Add remaining ingredients an stir. Line baking sheet/cake pan with parchment paper, making sure it goes all the way up the sides. Pour in batter, and don’t let the batter touch the actual pan or it will be very messy to remove. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours or until solid. Lift bars out with parchment paper underneath and cut into squares on a cutting board (as pictured).
- Store bars in refrigerator!! This recipe must be kept pretty cold. If they get too warm, the coconut oil will melt and they will turn back into a puddle.
So the sooner you put your body into ketosis, the slimmer you’ll be.The ketogenic diet is gaining in popularity these days thanks to its ability to force your body to burn fat for fuel. Under normal circumstances, your body burns carbs for fuel. Any excess carbs are stored as fat. But by limiting your carb and protein intake, you can actually force your body into a state of “ketosis.” In this state, your body “learns” how to burn fat for fuel. (In fact, almost every diet out there relies on ketosis for fat loss.)