Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Bars - YUM!
October 4, 2010 31 Comments
You would expect that a food blog called Lilveggiepatch.com would be set in a rural spot like Athens, GA.

But, Katie, lives in New York City!!! Where is her Lil Veggie Patch? On her fire escape perhaps?
She writes a blog about healthy eating with some AWESOME photos. She shared this guest post with Snack Girl readers:
My name is Katie, and I blog about my passion for food, health, and New York City life over at Lilveggiepatch.com . I’m thrilled to be guest posting for Lisa, as she and I share a lot of the same ideas about what “health” means to us.
When it comes to eating, the most important criteria when it comes to picking the most healthful and nutritious options is to choose foods that are as close to their original form as possible. I feel the best, and have the highest energy levels, when I’m treating my body to top-quality ingredients.

(Sometimes, those ingredients include wine!)
I’m a recent college graduate and currently work in a restaurant, so while a good portion of my money does go to restaurant experiences and fun ingredients, I do have to watch my budget. Because I do work long hours in a restaurant and tend to snack a lot, I’ve had to get creative with portable- and economical- snacks I bring with me to work.
My favorite snack to eat around midday are these Chocolate Pumpkin Protein bars. They’re tasty, filling, and cheap to make. Plus, I know what’s in them!

Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Bars Recipe (Vegan)
Makes 8 Bars
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup protein powder
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate peanut butter OR 1/2 cup peanut butter + 1 T cocoa powder
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
3 Tablespoons prunes, chopped
Preheat oven to 350˚ and coat a 9″ x 12″ pan (or whatever you’ve got) with cooking spray. Combine first five ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, mix agave, pumpkin, and sugar. Stir in peanut butter and mix well.

Add wet to dry and stir until well combined.

Stir in chopped prunes and pumpkin seeds. Evenly press batter into pan. This will require a bit of work; as the batter is on the dry side, you’ll have to redistribute it so the bars will cook evenly.

Bake for 15 minutes and NO LONGER. Trust me, they’re done! Allow to cool, then cut into 8 bars. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts for one bar:
299 calories, 11.1 g fat, 40.2 g carbohydrates, 19.2 g sugar, 13.2 g protein, 4.0 g fiber, 255 mg sodium, 8 Points+
Thanks for reading! And many thanks again to Lisa for letting me post. Please feel free to stop on by Lilveggiepatch.com and say hi!
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