Elvis Protein Bars

A really healthy, high protein recipe on Dinner Plan-it? Here's Kimber!









Well, look who is back again. Me! I know, I know...another long hiatus, but I am back for a post...and you'll be seeing a bit more from me too here and there.

Life is ever changing, to say the least. No longer am I a Clevelander. Once again, Pittsburgh is my home. Yep, you got that right, I've moved back after many years to help with my Dad.

One thing he needs the most (besides a new heart) is good food packed with protein, so along with homecooked meals loaded with chicken, beef, beans and lean pork (he won't eat most of the hospital "food"), I've been experimenting with protein bars, protein breads and all sorts of stuff to pump up his protein level. Somme attempts have been epic fails, some turned out okay, but the one I will share with you today is top notch. I can attest to this because my dad really liked these protein bars, I liked them, but most surprising of all, my mom LOVED them!

So here is what I have for you. It's a nod to Elvis' favorite peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich. The result is a little bit of rock n roll made up of a bit of smooth and crunchy peanuttiness, a little maple-y, banana-y sweetness, a punch of protein and the salty smokiness of bacon. Yes. Bacon. It's what I like to call Elvis Protein Bars!

For the protein, I used Muscle Pharm Combat Protein. It has an excellent nutrition profile and the taste is awesome. I purchase it through Bodybuilding.com or Musclepharm.com. You can certainly use other proteins, but of the ones I've tried I just found this to be the best tasting product for this particular recipe.

If you work out - like I do - or just need a pick-me-up during the day, this might be the rockin' recipe for you.

Elvis Protein Bars

• 1 1/4 C dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 2/3 C Muscle Pharm Combat Protein, Banana flavor (4 scoops)
• 2 C oats - I used certified gluten-free oats to make these GF (for my mom)
• 1 very ripe banana
• 1 heaping t cinnamon 
• 1/3 C plus a smidge more of REAL maple syrup
• 8 slices bacon, cooked very crisp (but not burned!), crumbled
• 1/3 C dark chocolate chips - again, use gluten-free chips if you're making these GF

Put 1 cup of the peanuts and the salt into a food processor and process until it becomes peanut butter (this takes a few minutes - be patient...it will happen). 

Add protein powder, oats, banana, cinnamon and maple syrup to food processor and mix with short pulses until it comes together into a dough-like consistency. If it's too crumbly, add a bit more maple syrup, if it's too sticky, add a bit more oats (the size of the banana can be a factor in this part). Fold half of the bacon into the mixture until mixed in evenly.

Take an 8" X 8" baking pan and line with parchment paper. Press the protein bar mixture into the pan evenly.

Chop the 1/4 cup of remaining peanuts coarsely and sprinkle over top of the protein bars, then sprinkle remaining bacon on top of that. Gently press the peanuts and bacon into the top of the protein bars.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle over the protein bars. Place the pan in the fridge for 20 minutes to set. Once they are set, cut into 10 bars.

Nutrition Per Bar: 277 calories, 28 carbs, 12 g fat, 18 grams protein, 182 mg sodium, 11 g sugar

Grilled Pina Coladas

“Boat drinks.  The boys in the band ordered boat drinks.”  Jimmy Buffet and those Coral Reefers sure enjoy a fruity summer drink with a kick of some rum…wonder how he’d like a Boat Dessert?!  For a few summers now, I’ve been grilling up Pina Coladas!  Not the liquid version, of course…wouldn’t that be a mess…and more than likely that unfortunate experiment would have been the result of a few too many Pina Coladas beforehand.

No, my version grills up thick rounds of sweet pineapple and bananas, scoops of cold, smooth coconut ice cream, a snowy sprinkle of coconut and a slathering of dark rum caramel.  The components of a favorite boat drink in a dessert!  It’s easy to do, too. 

While you’re grilling this weekend, give some pineapple slabs and bananas their own turn over the hot coals…just to give them a few grill marks and sweeten them up even more than they already are.  The caramel?  No, I don’t make mine from scratch for this.  It’s summer!  Who has time to stand over the hot stove making caramel?  Just swirl some dark rum into a store-bought topping with a pat of butter (oh, come on, you KNOW butter makes it better…why do you think Lifesavers makes a Butter Rum flavor?!) and heat just until the sauce is smooth and the butter is melted.  Don’t even bother to toast the coconut…a pina colada doesn’t have toasted coconut anyway. 

So here’s the recipe.  I think even Jimmy Buffet would approve of this Grilled Pina Colada Boat Dessert!

Grilled Pina Coladas

• 1 fresh pineapple, outside removed, cored and cut into 3/4 - 1" slices

• 2 bananas, LEAVE PEELS ON, cut lengthwise in half - leaving the peels on makes it MUCH easier to handle on the grill!

• 1 cup coconut flakes

• 1 cup caramel topping, good quality

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1/4 cup rum, Meyers dark rum, spiced rum, whatever kind you prefer

• 4 scoops coconut ice cream, Talenti makes a great coconut ice cream, Hagen Daasz makes a pineapple coconut that would be nice, too - or use vanilla if you can't find either one 
• whipped cream

Melt together caramel topping, butter and rum in a small saucepan until well combined.  Set aside.
 

Grill bananas cut side down while grilling pineapple slices on both sides until caramelized.  (If you wish, you can dust them with a little brown sugar before grilling.)  When fruits are nicely caramelized, but still firm, remove from grill.  Cut the grilled bananas in half crosswise and peel them carefully. 

On a pretty plate, place a slice of pineapple, scoop ice cream into center of the pineapple ring, place 2 banana quarters decoratively along sides of ice cream, drizzle with caramel, sprinkle with  coconut and adorn with a cloud of whipped cream.  AWESOME!