protein power banana bars

[1/24/06 Tuesday]
Swim - 3000m, 55:43 -
450 free, 100 kick, 450 pull, 6 x 25, 4 x 50, 400 pull, 2 x 200, 500 free, 14 x 25 as 2 easy, 3 B5, 2 B7, 3 B3, 3 B5, 2 easy

Here's a tidbit from issue 2 of my unpublished zine Trigirls:

Last issue included an article reviewing various commercial energy bars. It got me thinking, if I eat so many of these, couldn’t I come up with a few good homemade recipes and make them in mass quantities? For me, the perfect energy bar has lots of protein, is not overly sweet, has a moist texture, and contains no partially hydrogenated oils.

Protein Power Banana Bars

I came up with this recipe myself. I started with a basic recipe for banana bread and substituted whole-grain and higher protein alternative ingredients. The bars are dense and cake-like.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup protein powder (chocolate is good)
about 4 ripe bananas
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup water (or adjust to get batter-like consistency)
mini chocolate chips (as many as you like, optional)

Mix together dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then combine them. Put in a greased pan (13 x 9). Bake for around 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool, cut in squares, and wrap each square in plastic wrap for portable individual treats. Makes 15 bars.