Peanut Protein Bars

📝 Ingredients

• 160 g rolled oats
• 60 g protein powder (vanilla or chocolate whey)
• 120 g 100% peanut butter
• 80 g honey
• 100 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 30 g unsalted peanuts
• 40 g dark chocolate chips

🍴 Utensils

• 20 cm square tin
• Baking paper
• Small saucepan
• Large mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Large knife

📖 Steps

1. Line the square tin with baking paper, leaving 5 cm overhanging on each side: these flaps will act as handles to lift the block out in one piece when it's time to cut it.
2. Roughly chop the peanuts with a knife. In the large mixing bowl, combine the oats, protein powder, salt and chopped peanuts, crushing any lumps of powder.
3. In the small saucepan, warm the peanut butter and honey over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until smooth and runny. Don't let it boil: the honey caramelises and makes the bars hard.
4. Off the heat, add the milk and vanilla and stir until smooth. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula for 2 minutes, until there's no trace of dry powder left.
5. The mixture should be thick and sticky and hold together when pressed. If it crumbles, add a little milk; if it's too sticky, 1 to 2 tbsp oats. Fold in the chocolate chips once the mixture has cooled slightly so they don't melt.
6. Tip the mixture into the tin and press it down very firmly with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass, paying attention to the corners. The more compressed the mixture, the better the bars hold together when cut.
7. Chill for at least 1 hour, until the block is firm. Lift it out using the paper and cut into 8 bars with the large knife, wiping the blade between each cut for clean edges.