Pumpkin Pie Protein Bar

These are probably the BEST homemade protein bars EVER. They are a great post workout or mid afternoon snack. The recipe came from Gourmet Nutrition by DR. John Birardi.
Make them tonight.

Base

½ cup Quick Cooking Oats

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

½ cup Brown Sugar (packed)

½ cup Cold Butter (small cubed)

Filling

2 cups Low-fat/Skim Milk

1 ½ tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Nutmeg

½ tsp Salt

2 cups Pumpkin Puree (canned)

5 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder

3 Eggs

Splenda to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combing oats, flour and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the cubed butter to the bowl and squeeze into the ingredients using your hands until a coarse breadcrumb-like texture is achieved and everything is combined. Transfer ingredients into a 9x13 inch baking pan and press down. Place in oven and bake for 12 minutes. In the meantime, bring milk, to a boil with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. As soon as it boils, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the pumpkin first and then the protein powder and eggs. If necessary, sweeten mixture to taste with splenda. Once the base has finished baking, remove from the oven and pour the pumpkin filling on top. Place back in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin filling has set. It should be a little firm to the touch. Cool, portion and store in the fridge or freezer, individually wrapped.

The little things matter,

Tony