Hemp Protein Granola Bars {vegan, gluten-free}

Hemp protein powder delivers fiber, omega fatty acids and plant protein in these easy, delicious granola bars. The bars are vegan, gluten-free and super satisfying!

This has been in the refrigerator, waiting for some new uses:

I am keen on hemp hearts, which have a buttery-grassy flavor akin to pine nuts, so I thought I would  be smitten by hemp protein powder.

But it was a rough start. I blame myself. I should have googled first, I know that now. I could have tried specific recipe especially suited to hemp protein. But no, I dove straight in, dumping a giant scoop into one of my smoothie concoctions.

It was challenging. I drink some pretty swampy-looking smoothies, but  hemp powder turned my berries and kale into a bracken bayou shade of gray-green. The taste was pretty great, but the visual had a powerful effect, significantly dampening my hemp powder enthusiasm.

But one can only avoid the jumbo container of hemp protein in the refrigerator for so long. Or, more precisely, one can only ignore a husband, nagging about the space taken up by said container of hemp protein, for so long.

So I added hemp protein to my baked goods.

It’s a perfect fit. Case in point, my hemp protein granola bars.

With a bit of oven heat, hemp protein powder adds toasty, nutty layers of flavor to simple granola bars.

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Yield: 8 granola bars

Hemp Protein Granola Bars {vegan, gluten-free}

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Hemp protein powder delivers fiber, omega fatty acids and plant protein in these easy, delicious granola bars. The bars are vegan, gluten-free and super satisfying!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup nondairy milk
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or your spice of choice)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon whole psyllium husk
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (certified GF, as needed)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened hemp protein powder (see note)
• 1/2 cup chopped seeds and/or nuts
• 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit
• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or grease 8 cups of a standard size muffin tin.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the applesauce, milk, syrup, vanilla, cardamom, and salt; whisk in psyllium until blended. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, hemp powder, seeds/nus and dried fruit. Add the applesuace mixture and the coconut oil, stirring to completely combine.
4. Divide mixture evenly among prepared cups. Using the bottom of a measuring cup (spray or grease bottom of cup to avoid sticking), firmly tamp down the pucks.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 17 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool in tin for 10 minutes. Remove pucks from tin and cool completely.

Notes

Hemp Protein Powder: I used Bob's Red Mill hemp protein powder, but if you are following a strictly gluten-free diet, please note that they recently changed their production and, while hemp is a gluten-free ingredient, BRM no longer processes their hemp protein in an exclusively gluten-free facility. Many other brands exist, so use what works best for you!

Storage: Store pucks in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.or

Nutrition Information

Serving Size

1 granola bar
Amount Per Serving Calories 162Total Fat 6.9gSaturated Fat 1.9gCholesterol 0mgSodium 103mgCarbohydrates 24.1gFiber 4.7gSugar 11.9gProtein 5.6g

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