In it for the Long Run

wellness | intuition | curiosity

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

by

These chocolate peanut butter protein bars will save you precious cash and curb those 3pm hangries we all know too well, plus is there a better combo than chocolate and peanut butter? (short answer: no)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

Besides the bangin’ vegan protein bar recipe, if you can take anything away from this posts today it should be “dust yo self off and try again.” Who would have thought this 2001 R&B jam by Aaliyah would impart such a valuable lesson. But she’s 100% right. Whether it’s a romantic, athletic, scholarly, creative or really any kind of pursuit, chances are you won’t knock it out of the park the first time. Not only that but it’s probably a good thing you fail the first time.

In it 4 the Long Run

Let’s be real here, I’m not a patient person. I was raised by one, I’m sisters with one, so I know what it looks like. I’m not it. I want what I want when I want it and it’s probably yesterday. When I’m learning something new I expect to be the best before I start. Clearly, I’m also super realistic *insert sarcastic face.* Overtime though, I’ve learned that the good ish takes some time and a lot of trial and error whether I like it or not.

The most recent example is actually this recipe, both the final recipe and the pictures. The first time I made it I thought “hot damn it’s a winner” and I wanted to shoot it right then and there. However, the sun had different plans. I rushed through trying to make it work but every photo came out yellow, the styling just wasn’t there and I wasn’t excited to share the post.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (vegan & gluten-free) Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

Part of me was mad that I *wasted* several hours on something unusable but I knew I couldn’t share those pictures with enthusiasm. So I waited a week until I had another day to shoot and luckily lighting was on my side. Not only that but I tweaked the recipe slightly and it was even better the second time.

Now I’m super pumped to share these bars because they look as good as they taste (actually they still probably taste 10x better because that’s how good they are) but you get the point.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

Blogging is a process. It’s a flop-win-flop-flop-win-flop-win-win-flop-flop-flop-win kinda dance. I’m getting better at letting the flops happen and letting myself justify that time as “learning” vs. wasted. I’ve also realized the more I “learn” the better I get.

So thank you Aaliyah for teaching me in 2001 what I’m slowly beginning to grasp today, I’ll brush myself off and try again.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Recipe Type: Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Georgie
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
These chocolate peanut butter protein bars will save you precious cash and curb those 3pm hangries we all know too well, plus is there a better combo than chocolate and peanut butter? (short answer: no)
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup of Chia Seeds
  • 1/2 Cup of Dry Oats
  • 1/2 Cup of Chocolate Protein Powder
  • 1/2 Cup of Chocolate Peanut Butter (I used Nuttzo)
  • 1/3 Cup of Maple Syrup
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, blend chia, oats and protein powder
  2. Add peanut butter and maple syrup and blend until dough forms
  3. Press dough ball into an 8″ square baking tray
  4. Chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before cutting into 10 bars

Scroll over to Pin Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

If you liked this recipe, you’ll love:

Honey Flax Protein Bars

Save yourself some money and the stress of finding a healthy protein bar with these scrumptious Honey Flax Almond Butter Protein Bars.

Healthy Almond Butter Blondies

These healthy almond butter blondies just might be the perfect dessert. They're moist and flavorful with big chunks of gooey chocolate // init4thelongrun.com

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Blondies

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Blondie

Your Turn:

  • When was a time you *brushed yoself off* and tried again, and had something even better happen? Can’t wait to hear your stories!
3

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. These bars look amazing! Love that they are filled with chia seeds and chocolate pb of course 🙂 That has happened to me so many times when I thought I made a great recipe and the pictures just looked so bad so I couldn’t put it on the blog, it’s so annoying but it happens to all of us!

  3. Last year I had to create a dance piece for my Composition class and I really HATE choreographing. Honestly, I’d rather have the choreographer tell me what to do. Anywho, I created a duet that I actually really liked but my professor hated it….I was basically crushed, but I thought, “you know what, I’m gonna start over and tweak a few things. No worries.” The next class we showed our pieces again after I had made a few a changes and she LOVED it. I felt so great! Wow that was long…haha but these bars look incredible Georgie! What brand of protein powder do you recommend?

  5. these doooo look amazing! I need some chocolate protein powder in my life. I need to start making mine own I love this recipe!…… ps. I used to want to be Aaliyah in that video with her smokey eye shadow, choker, and belly shirt…really glad that didn’t work out for me.

  9. These look scrumptious, although I’m sure your original photos were also awesome (just not quite so much!) Patience is a virtue that I do not really possess either, so learning to enjoy the process for what it is has been a long, slow curve.

  14. Oh man I feel ya. When it comes to blogging I always want everything to be perfect right away. I remember one time having to make a batch of cookies three times because I kept getting distracted and burning them!

  15. Whether it’s making a recipe that just doesn’t work out or spending WAY too long on a math problem only to find out that I did something wrong along the line, I’ve definitely struggled with feeling like I wasted time in the learning process. But that’s the thing: it’s a learning process and learning is not linear. Anyway, I’m glad these worked out because chocolate + peanut butter is the best ?

  16. Great message! A few weeks ago, I was attempting to clip into my bike pedals for the first time and literally had to dust myself off (I fell into a muddy field) and try again.

    It makes success that much sweeter!

  17. I find that sometime photography just flows, and is easy and fun, and other days I have so many “hiccups”- like the whole experience does not flow. I could have totally used these bars yesterday- I came home from work beyond hangry and wanted to get some pictures done before the sun set. I have added these to my list to make!

  18. Aaliyah was the queeeeeen.
    I get it though – patient is like the last thing quality you would ever use to describe me.
    These bars look awesome, and i like how you blend the chia seeds first. Sometimes they get stuck in my teeth! =(

  19. These look absolutely delicious and SO PERFECT. Wow, Georgie, you have a gift for making things symmetrically amazing. I almost can’t wait to make them. And girl, I am not the world’s most patient person either, and I’m thankful that God is constantly teaching me more patience. He is a good Father!

  20. Ooh, I’m pretty curious about protein bars/balls, need to give them a try and chocolate peanut butter seems a very good place to start! (I’ve never seen chocolate peanut butter though, I’d have got some if I had! Hope I can find it!)

    I love your message in this post, I can get very frustrated when I try to do things and they don’t go to plan and am guilty of rushing things through when both me and the thing aren’t ready yet.

    Now going to take note, take my time and keep trying 🙂

  21. These look absolutely delicious. Totally loving your Aaliyah reference there. Dusting yourself off and trying again is certainly a lesson that I learn over and over. For me at the moment I am tackling the demon of public speaking. I never used to be that bothered by it but now it terrifies me ha. So I am just forcing myself over and over to do it until I am mildly comfortable up there no matter how many times my voice wobbles and my hands shake 😉
    Progress not perfection 🙂

  22. These look so yummy! I was totally expecting a long list of ingredients and I’m loving how simple these are to make! My husband and I both love chocolate/PB anything so I’m definitely going to make these 🙂

  23. You had me at chocolate and then completely won me at peanut butter! I love how simple the ingredient list is! I’m definitely going to try this one!

    Aaaaaa I loved Aaliyah!!! I’ve been dusting myself off and trying again allllll the time lately with not only recipes, but life in general! 🙂 Everything happens for a reason!

  24. i love when that happens! hah. also love how you used a bunch of high protein ingredients beside protein powder! i like chia seeds, because theyre suuuper filling, but i can’t handle a lot because they give me stomach cramps :/ (p.s. i posted vegan protein bars too! haha coincidence)