Lemon Cream Protein Bars

Oh man. Have you ever taken a picture of something and thought "well shoot, this pictures doesn't do that justice"? Totally my thoughts with this dish. There's nothing real magical with how these lemon bars look. Let's discuss how they taste then, shall we. First you've got a perfectly sweet, crunchy crust that almost melts in your mouth when you take a bite. Then you've got a smooth, tangy, and delightful lemon layer that sparks the inner foodie in you. How is this even possible, you ask yourself. NO SUGAR?!?! Only 106 calories?!?! Let me handle that part, since it is mind-blowing. You just sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself a lemon cream protein bar! 

Ingredients

Crust

1 scoop ARO vanilla whey protein powder

2/3 cup oat flour

¼ cup pine nuts

3 tablespoons coconut oil

Bar Filling

2 scoops ARO vanilla whey protein powder

¼ cup xylitol

½ cup lemon juice

2 eggs

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8” baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.

2. Combine all crust ingredients, except the coconut oil, in a food processor or blender. Process mixture until pine nuts turn into a flour-like consistency.

3. Pour the coconut oil in with the crust ingredients and stir until well combined. It should become crumbly. Spoon the crust mixture into baking dish. Using your fingers press the mixture down until it completely covers the bottom of the dish.

4. Bake crust in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while you make the bar filling.

5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the bar filling ingredients together until smooth. Pour this mixture on top of crust.

6. Return dish to the oven and bake for an additional 16-20 minutes. Let cool in the fridge for at least 3 hours.  Slice into 16 squares. Enjoy!

Makes 16 servings

1 serving is 1 square bar

Macros for 1 serving
106 calories, 6.1g protein, 9.4g carbs, 5.8g fat, 0g sugar, 1.2g fiber