Lemon Protein Bars

recipe

In an attempt to have healthier snacks around the house I made these Lemon Protein Bars from heandsheeatclean.com. Normally I would have gone straight to the chocolate recipe or even the pumpkin one, but I was trying to accommodate my sweet husband who lacks a sweet tooth! He loves lemons so I thought this would be perfect for the both of us to snack on.

These protein bars are pretty good! They ARE very lemony. I followed the recipe exactly except I used whole wheat flour instead of the recommended oat flour. I don't have oat flour. Also, the protein powder I used probably isn't considered "clean", but again it's what I had on hand. I just went with what I had since this was the first time trying a recipe like this and I wasn't sure if we would even like them. When I use up the protein powder we have I WILL be purchasing a clean version. The stuff is just too expensive to just throw it away. 

These are WAY better than any store-bought protein bar I've ever tried. Granted, I've only tried two or three different kinds. Check out HASEC for the recipe and details about these Lemon Protein Bars. There is a lot of good information and recipes for eating clean and just plain being healthier in general. 

I'll be making the pumpkin version next. OH and check out their recipe for chocolate chip cookie dough! One reader said in the comments section that they blended the quick oats to a powder consistency before mixing with the other ingredients. That sounds like it would make it closer to the actual consistency of real cookie dough. I will be trying this one out, too! 

Besides the protein bars I bought fresh veggies for snacking. I washed and chopped and bagged them. TBH, I just don't like raw broccoli!! I LOVE it when it is steamed, and I don't steam it to mush either. I just don't like it raw. AJ likes it however. So I guess I'll be eating the carrots and he can have the broccoli, blech. We also have fruits and greek yogurt and almonds. 

What healthy (even clean) snacks to you keep around the house? 

Poached perfection and firsts.

*Hello :) If you like what you are reading or have a comment please let me know! You can leave a comment at the end of each post. Thank you!

After reading many different methods on the internet about how to "poach" chicken, I finally asked a few of the other student wives here at school. The over all concensus says to bring your water to a boil (enough to cover the amount of chicken you want to cook) then drop chicken into the water and boil for about thirty minutes. I just tried it and sure enough it worked! I cooked three chicken breasts (skinless, boneless) to poached perfection! ...well, I think next time I will not let it cook as long. After thirty minutes I checked the internal temp of each piece of chicken and they were reading above 180 F which is well above well-done. Maybe the chicken won't be rubbery, dry and tasteless. I am putting it into a casserole so if it is it will at least be camouflaged by cheesy, broccoli goodness. *I am writing this as I cook and the chicken is dry and chewy. Surely the soups and cheese will make up for that.

By the way, the recipe I am trying tonight is from the Once-a-month Mom. It is a chicken, broccoli, rice casserole... something you have probably made more than once. If you will notice, OAMM used homemade cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup to make the meal more "whole foods" friendly. I, on the other hand, opted for the canned versions... making my casserole even less spectacular... :/ I am sure it will at least be tasty, and as my husband says, "It will". On second thought, you do not want to know.
*I did not go to the gym this afternoon because I did not poach my chicken last night, like I wanted to. I do not know why I always think "easy" when I think "casserole". I definitely got my work out tonight. Think two cups freshly grated cheddar cheese. Yeah. My cheese grating muscles are out of shape have never been used like this. Is that another first?!

So there you have it, the first time I have ever poached chicken. Another first for me occurred while preparing supper last night. I cooked a roast in a crock pot (My second time, so that is not what I am talking about.) and made gravy from the meat drippings! It was SCRUMPTIOUS! I love gravy on my creamed potatoes... yum. I am drooling thinking about it now.

I know. My cooking skills are elementary, but I have to start somewhere! Pay no attention to the fact that AJ and I have been married for almost three years. I suppose the first three years of our marriage I cooked a lot of the same things over and over. They were all things that I know how to cook very well. I use the word "cook" lightly. Usually just opened a few cans and mixed some stuff together and "Viola! Supper's ready!" I do make a mean meatloaf! ...ah, as good as meat loaf actually is, the name just does not do it justice! Loaf is just a funny word. Just like congealed salad is so delicious... congealed is just an ugly word.

What is for supper at your house tonight? Accomplish any "firsts" this week so far?

...congealed... blech.