Kathy’s Peanut Butter Protein Bars

YIELD: 12 bars

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (preferably chunky), at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 3/4 cups vanilla-flavored whey protein powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons Splenda
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Melt the butter (microwave works well) and combine it with peanut butter and softened cream cheese. Mix together using a spoon. Add protein powder, vanilla, Splenda, and peanuts. Stir well until the mixture is thoroughly combined, even though it may appear crumbly.
2. Taste the mixture to check if it is sweet enough. If desired, add a little more Splenda to adjust the sweetness.
3. Press the mixture firmly into an 8 x 8-inch pan, ensuring it is evenly distributed. Slice the mixture into 12 pieces and place the entire pan in the freezer. Leave it in the freezer until the bars become firm.
4. Remove the pan from the freezer once the bars have hardened. They are now ready to be enjoyed!

PER SERVING:

• 9 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 8 grams of usable carbs and 31 grams of protein.

TIP:

• For storage, it’s a good idea to package these in individual zipper-lock bags in the freezer.