I’ve never made an energy/protein bar, so when I was asked to write a blog about them, I didn’t quite know where to start. Luckily, I like to try new recipes and happen to be surrounded by skilled cooks both at work and at home. Honestly, most of my conversations with Justin Straus, New Earth’s Marketing Director, start off work-related and at some point dovetail into a story about a restaurant one of us ate at or a meal one of us made, this then quickly turns into us taking turns reciting the recipes and exact directions on how to prepare said meal. Needless to say, a lot of us here at the office love eating and making food. I was excited for the challenge to create a scrumptious bar filled with protein, natural goodness, and raw superfood power.

I didn’t want to get too confident and just start from scratch with no knowledge on what a standard energy/protein bar is made up of so, I googled “homemade energy bars” and clicked on some recipes I thought looked appetizing. After some research, I had created my shopping list and ran to the store to purchase the ingredients for what I now call Turf Bars (aka GET OFF MY LAWN Bars).

After some prep, I began to add my ingredients and get the consistency I liked. I didn’t want to get too fancy, seeing as this was my first homemade bar, so I chose the go-to ingredients that pretty much any bar incorporates: Organic rolled oats, all-natural peanut butter, mini dark chocolate chips (they melt and cut up better than the big guys), a bit of organic honey, cinnamon, and organic coconut oil. I love nuts, so I added some chopped pecans in there too. Not only are these ingredients delicious, but they have health benefits as well. Nuts offer a great source of protein and added flavor. The chocolate acts as a natural sweetener and happens to be a great provider of minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. I then chose coconut oil for its binding properties (being that it stays solid at room temp, but melts to liquid if heated up) and because it is literally made of fat, which means a small amount can be super filling. For even more added flavor and health benefits, I added a dab of honey and a dash of cinnamon (both have antioxidant properties). The oats, which are the main ingredient offer a great source of dietary fiber.

Most importantly, I wanted to incorporate organic Wild Microalgae, also known as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), a type of blue-green algae into the bar. And, I ended up choosing New Earth’s Essentials Blend + powder. Combined with the superfood benefits of the algae itself, this blend has probiotics and enzymes (the key to digestive bliss), antioxidants (to protect yourself!), and glucosamine (the leader in joint support). I was hesitant to add it directly in the mix since it would turn everything green and I wanted to know what I was working with. I made the decision to sprinkle the Essentials Blend to the top of the bars, and voila! It looked just like a yard (or turf…get it?). I read of a person adding salt to their bars, which I do love, so I sprinkled some of that on too. I think it adds a really good flavor and kick to the bar. An added benefit, if you have reservations on adding AFA algae to your bar, the sea salt highlights only the best qualities of the algae, making this a pleasant snack for picky eaters and youngsters alike. These bars are also pretty rich, so these can be used as a replacement for breakfast or even a dessert. I personally like to eat them with a small cup of black coffee or even some milk.

Go ahead! Try out this recipe and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram with a snapshot of your snack. Have fun, and keep on cookin’!

Turf Bars (aka GET OFF MY LAWN Bars)

Ingredients
Bar:
2 cups Organic Rolled Oats
½ cup of mini dark chocolate chips
A dash of cinnamon
½ cup of chopped pecans
1 ½ cup of peanut butter
1 tbs of honey
1 cup of coconut oil

Topping:
Sea Salt (to taste)
Essentials Blend + powder (to taste)

Instructions:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together oats, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and chopped pecans.
In a small saucepan, heat up coconut oil until it’s completely melted.
After coconut oil is melted, mix in peanut butter and honey until it is a smooth consistency.
Mix the coconut oil mixture into the oat mixture. The mixture should be more on the runny side when completed.
Pour the mixture into a baking pan and cover the top with a thin to medium film of Essentials Blend +.
Salt Bae it up.
Refrigerate for two hours.
Chop into bar sized chunks and enjoy!

Note: Keep these store in the fridge to maintain shape!

Article by: Maggie Porter, the stand-in office comedian at New Earth, a Klamath Lake fan girl, and lover of exploration. Her time is spent creating memorable New Earth events and doting over Organic Wild Microalgae.