Thursday 15 May 2014

Coconut Lemon 'Cheesecake' Protein Bars








I seem to have a flu. Or maybe a virus? Or a migraine so severe it makes me feel like I have one of the (or all of the) aforementioned ailments.

The cure for any sort of icky feeling for me has always been tea. Tea with lemon. I don't think I have ever told my grandmother I have been sick without her asking me "Did you make tea? Tea with lemon???"

I did, grandma, I really did!




Lemon is yellow...
It makes my throat sting
I feel pretty crappy
But hey, these bars are a thing?

Amen.







MMM!

Moving on to this recipe-- with Mother's Day having just passed I wanted to make some protein bars for my mom. I made here these unhealthy treats and figured she could use a healthier sweet treat! She used to love these lemon bars I used to make back in the day, and to me lemon flavours always say 'fresh' and 'spring'!

Et voila. I present to you, fair and just people of the Republic of the Interwebs, Coconut Lemon 'Cheesecake' Protein Bars. A mouthful, just like the mouthful of amazingness to be had if you make these!

One more picture to persuade you to make these....BUT JUST ONE! Especially because the sun happily obliged to come out for 2.3 seconds after I got home for work...basically just enough time to snap one or two pictures that look half decent.










On to the recipe!




Coconut Lemon 'Cheesecake' Protein Bars

Yields 8 bars
Allergens: Gluten Free


Ingredients:

  • 1 cup oats, ground into flour (or 1 cup oat flour)
  • 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder of choice (any kind!)
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour 
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon (or 1 for a stronger lemon flavour)
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon (or 1 for an even stronger lemon flavour)
  • 1/3 cup honey OR agave nectar for Vegan alternative 
  • 1/2 cup nut butter of choice ( I used almond)
  • 1/4 Almond milk (or less)


** I used 1/2 a lemon in terms of both the juice and zest and the flavour was very subtle, up to your preferences which amount you choose! **

Directions:


  1. Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (oat flour, protein powder, coconut flour and shredded coconut) and whisk together. 
  2. In a small saucepan, melt honey and nut butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is fully combined
  3. Zest your lemon and set aside, then using the same lemon extract the juice and set aside in a small bowl
  4. Add the honey/nut butter mixture, lemon zest and lemon juice to the dry ingredients
  1. Mix together until fully combined, adding small amounts of almond milk to mixture as needed until mixture forms a large ball
  1. Press into an 8x8 pan lined with foil and set in the freezer for an hour
  1. Once set, cut into 8 bars 

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 3 tablespoons light cream cheese (or regular, or vegan cream cheese)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
  • Stevia to taste ( I used 3 packets of Truvia) 
  • Lemon extract/emulsion, or 2 teaspoons lemon juice 

Directions:

  1. With a mixer or in a blender, whip 2 tablespoons of cream cheese
  2. Melt coconut oil until liquified and add to mixture, blend until combined 
  3. Add stevia and lemon extract and mix further
  4. Melt 2 small squares of white chocolate and add to mixture once the mixture is at room temperature (or warmer) and combine (OPTIONAL)
  5. Pipe frosting onto bars once they have set in the freezer for an hour and serve! 

These. Are. Amazing. This lemon frosting is out of this world! Do you need the chocolate? No. But I wanted a bit of sweetness to work with the acidity of the lemon. Plus, chocolate ? Needs no explanation!
















Waiting to be plated and served.
















Don't you love the texture? OOOO I DO





I cannot force you to make these. Or to eat them. Or to do anything really! But I promise you it is worth it. These remind me of lemon cheesecake--and the coconut? PERF! Just...just so good. A very refreshing and satisfying combination. Mama B most definitely approves! 

Dense and chewy and satisfying, these will remove any sweet tooth. Not physically. Like, you won't get a cavity in your sweet tooth and have it removed. Fun fact I HATE the dentist. HATE. 

So I won't do that to you, I promise ;) Feeling as sick as I do, these would be a great pick me up. But there isn't actually any left because they were gone right away and I can't even imagine walking to the kitchen to make anything right now!

If you try the recipe please let me know, it always makes me so happy!

I saved you one. So nice, right? Dig in!






2 comments:

  1. Made in South Korea on October 11, 2014. I omitted the frosting (although it did look wonderful) and used peanut butter since that was the only nut butter I had on hand. Delicious! Reminds of family events at my grandmother's - there were ALWAYS squares of some kind. Need a high-protein marshmallow substitute (maybe just egg whites whipped with some stevia) with cherries folded in on a graham-like base to replicate my grandmother's marshmallow cherry squares...

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    Replies
    1. That's wonderful! I think the egg whites would be a wonderful marshmallow substitute! These would be a perfect base for something like that -- yummy!

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