Protein Bars

I love sweets..and Mike doesn't. He is a lot more disciplined and eats healthier. Boring! :)
The other day my mom found a protein bar recipe in the Seasons Magazine from Hyvee. Do you receive this? I love it. There are good recipes so often.

Here is the link where you can request a copy: http://www.hy-vee.com/seasons/default.aspx
There are recipes for bars they suggest and it has the nutritional information as well.

The protein bars are sweet enough to satisfy my need for a sweet and you can make them different each time so you don't get tired of the same 'ol protein bar.

You choose one ingredient from each category:
                                                                                                                    
1. Grain:                                               
 (2 cups)                                                                                                                                 
-old-fashioned
-quick oats                         
-crisp brown cereal
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       2. Sweetener:
  (3/4 cup)   
 -honey                   
-agave nectar
-brown rice syrup
-pure maple syrup

 3. Nut Butter:
 (1 cup)
-natural peanut butter
-almond butter
-cashew butter
-sunflower nut butter

4. Seeds or Wheat Product:
 (1 cup of any except 1/4 cup of chia seeds)
-whole sesame seeds
-unprocessed wheat bran
-wheat germ
-pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
-chia seeds

5. Powdered Protein:                         
    (1 cup)                                            
   -vanilla whey protein powder                        
   -nonfat dry milk powder                                          
                                                    
6. Nuts or chips: 
     (1 cup)                                                      
  -chopped walnuts                                                      
  -almonds
  -cashews                                                                                                   
  -sunflower nuts                                                                                                      
 -dark chocolate chips
  -carob chips

7. Dried Fruit:
   (1 cup)
  -raisins
  -dried cherries
  -dried cranberries
  -dried goji berries
 -chopped dried apricots
 -chopped dates
 -chopped prunes
 -chopped figs

-Choose ingredient options. Mix all ingredients together (the recipe says using an electric mixer or food processor..but it depends on the ingredients you use because I just used a spoon and it worked fine) Press evenly into an 8 or 9 inch pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Refrigerate for an hour to firm bars.

 I just made them from what I had in my pantry..

-Old fashioned oats
-pure maple syrup (I only used 1/2 cup cuz Mike wanted them less sweet..and it made them a little crumbly)
-natural peanut butter
-chocolate whey protein powder
-ground flaxseed
-(I usually have walnuts..but was out!)
-raisins

Enjoy!