Make Your Own Protein Bars

There are some great tasting protein bars out there and some that taste like cardboard, sawdust, and fake chocolate.  Either way, I don't really like consuming 30+ ingredients and hydrogenated oils from one little bar (some ingredients I cannot even pronounce!).  The recipe below was given to me by Nana, one of my best friends (I did make some minor adjustments).  I can't remember who she got the recipe from though. These are so yummy!

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup vegan protein powder ( I used Garden of Life Raw Protein, but I may try the chocolate Vega one next time)
1/4 cup chopped, raw almonds
1/3 cup organic raisins (or 1/3 cup dried cranberries)
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

Wet Ingredients:
1/4 cup peanut butter (I ran out of PB and supplemented with sunflower seed butter)
1/4 cup agave nectar (or brown rice syrup or raw honey)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce (I used homemade pear butter I canned last august)
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1/3 cup Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (or any other vegan chocolate chips) You can get these bad boys at Walmart for only $2.99!

Melt the wet ingredients in a microwave for 20 seconds. Stir and melt for 15 more seconds or until melted.  Or you can use a stovetop to melt the wet ingredients.

Mix wet and dry ingredients together.
Line an 8X8 baking pan with wax paper. Pour mixture into the pan and spread it out so it's flat and even. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Turn the pan upside-down, pull off the wax paper and cut into 8 bars. Store in the refrigerator and gobble them up one at a time!