#CapeCodSelectPremiumCranberries #CranberryChocolateProteinBars
The morning sun coming in thru the window was all the cause for this early sunrise snapshot.
Ever have a morning that started out fine and then ended up with the whole troop frantically grabbing and gathering before they head out? I have!!
Suddenly the time goes by and everyone is not fully ready to go out the door for the day. These protein bars are quick and easy to make and they are just as easy to grab and go out the door. I have eaten them straight from the refrigerator and even the freezer!!
If you choose to have your Cranberry Chocolate Protein Bars ready to go, simply wrap each square in plastic wrap and place in a tight lid storage container and place in the refrigerator or freezer. Take and go is my theme here so stock up and make several batches to keep the family happy and healthy.
Cape Cod Select, LLC based in Carver Massachusetts owned and operated by a family for over 75 years is hosting a Bloggers Recipe Challenge. They mailed each blogger a bountiful bag of all natural fresh frozen premium cranberries. This is my third time completing with their amazing cranberries. If you can not find them in a store near you using their store locator, they do ship them and I can attest that they come completely frozen even all the way across to the west coast.
Look at those plump full cranberries. These fresh harvested and frozen gems are what make this protein bar a “STAR”. Having access to cranberries doesn’t need to be just the fall and winter time, Cape Cod Select Premium Frozen Cranberries is here to save the year!
These bars were created for the “Healthy On The Go” Category of the bloggers challenge. The recipe will make approximately 16 servings which can be refrigerated or frozen.
SO WHAT ARE THE CATEGORIES AND PRIZES:
The different categories are Healthy On-The-Go, Family Dinner and Cran-You-Believe It. A total of $2500.00 is being awarded. The breakdown is as follows:
One Grand Prize Winner: $1,000.00 Cash Prize
One Healthy On-The-Go Category Winner: $500.00 Cash Prize
One Cran-You-Believe It Category Winner: $500.00 Cash Prize
One Family Dinner Category Winner: $500.00 Cash Prize
I love using unsweetened coconut in this bar, it adds great coconut flavor and a lot less sugar to your recipe. The hemp seeds is a bonus for adding protein to this snack. If you have whole flax seed, you can grind it in you cleaned out coffee grinded. I like to grind the flaxseed into a powder for better absorption. The oats used in this recipe are quick cooking for a softer finished texture.
FYI…you can use sweetened coconut if you already have it. You can give it a little chop to make the pieces smaller. Just remember this will add a bit of extra sweetness.
Press the mixture into a sprayed dish for easy release. Let it set in the refrigerator before removing and cutting into bars. See those little bits of chocolate chips? You can use a mini chocolate chip from the baking isle or you can use a dairy free mini chocolate chip from the health sections of the grocery store. Either one works great for the chocolaty nibble. The orange zest and kiss of orange juice go so well with the cranberry chocolate flavors. It is a match made in heaven.
This is not the first year I have competed in the Cape Cod Select Bloggers Challenge. Here are a few past entries that I have made. One of which I even demonstrated at the Oregon State Fair to a wonderful audience who got to eat wings!!
Cranberry Chili Sauce Sticky Wings
Cranberry Orange Poppy Seed Salad
Here is to making your “Healthy on the GO” more tasty and easy!!
Cranberry Chocolate Protein Bars
Number of servings: 16
Cranberry Chocolate Protein Bars are the perfect quick grab and go for your healthy morning start or anytime snack. Made with Cape Cod Select Premium Cranberries for a burst of Vitamin C along with the other ingredients that provide super power protein.
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashion rolled oats
- 1 tbs. hulled hemp seeds
- 1 tbs. ground flax seed
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 tbs. grated orange peel
- 1 tbs. fresh orange juice
- 2 cups Cape Cod Select Premium Cranberries, thawed and finely minced
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- ¼ cup raw local honey
- ½ cup fresh ground almond butter
- 2 tbs. solid coconut oil, cold pressed
- 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Spray an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray. (Optional; line the sprayed pan with parchment paper and spray the paper. This is helpful to lift the bars from the baking pan for each cutting.)
- In a large bowl, blend together the oats, hemp seeds, ground flax seed, shredded unsweetened coconut, cinnamon and grated orange peel. Set the bowl aside.
- In a large saucepan, add the orange juice, finely minced cranberries, mashed banana, honey, almond butter and coconut oil. Heat over low to gently melt and blend the ingredients together.
- Once the coconut oil has melted and all the other ingredients blend together, remove from the heat. (Do not let these ingredients get very hot. If they do, allow the mixture to cool before adding to the oats)
- Add the warm cranberry mixture into the dry oat mixture. Stir to combine. Add in the mini chocolate chips and stir to evenly distribute the chocolate.
- Evenly spread the bar mixture into the prepared 8x8 pan. Refrigerate for 4 hours (or overnight) then cut to serve. Bars made be stored in the refrigerator for several days or may be frozen for up to a couple of months.
