Protein bars.  

I don’t know about you guys, but for me quick protein snacks through the day had become something I can’t go a day without.  There are so many ways you can go with those, and when it is easier to buy them pre-made at the store that is not something I’d do. Not only because most of the snacks you can find in the large supermarkets are a non-vegan ones, but also because of all the preservatives, emulsifiers and such. It’s too much chemistry for my taste. 

Yes, there are organic vegan friendly protein bars and there are so many that can be found, but nothing compares to homemade things. (Also, me and dates do not get along well lately so there is that. Hahah.)

I can tell you it took me a while to come up with the idea for those, but the truth is that these delicious protein snack bars were one of those happy accidents.

I was cleaning out the kitchen, checking what I have and what I am about to run out before going to the store for the monthly ‘bulk’ shopping and as I was staring at the things ordered in a complete chaos on the kitchen counter something sparked. Which had more than a perfect timing because as I am starting work soon, I will need something small but filling and nourishing that doesn’t take forever to snatch during break.

Originally, I thought about making them as bliss balls, coat them in chocolate and stuff (make no mistake, at some point I will make that version too)  but we know how this will go. One bliss ball leads to another and another…and before you know it – POOF. They are gone. Of course, if you want to make them as a bliss balls – it works as well. You can coat them in raw white chocolate or roll them in coconut shreds. Whatever works for you, but trust me – those are so freaking good on their own, you won’t need coating or anything else. I may be biased about it.

As they are made, in this original way aka 9 squares, each bar has roughly 18 grams of protein in it and 459kcal. You can easily double the amount of bars you’ll get and lower the calorie intake if you wish. It all depends on how you want to go about it. :-) Either way, those are filled with whole foods, absolutely nourishing, and if you ask me, 100% guilt free because everything put in them is created by nature.

If you do decide to make them, whether it’s in a ball or a bar shape, please tag me in the post using the hashtag #pearsnpancakes. More recipes can be found here and if you are not following me on Instagram – go ahead. I try to be more active there too. Even if it’s just a post on stories.

RAW ‘RAFFAELLO’ PROTEIN SQUARE BARS

*gluten free, vegan
makes 9 bars roughly around 75g each (6x9cm)
or 18 smaller bars (3x4.5cm) 

INGREDIENTS

200g raw cashews, soaked overnight
125g melted cacao butter
125g agave syrup/maple syrup
100g raw almond protein *or any other colorless protein powder
50g sacha inchi protein
50g white chia seeds
70g coconut shreds or flour
50g almond flour
5g dried lemon zest
1 juiced lemon
1tbsp raw almond butter
1/2tsp bourbon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Mix the cashews with melted butter, agave syrup, coconut shreds, bourbon vanilla, lemon zest and almond flour in a blender/food processor. Process until smooth. Add the protein powder and process again; the mixture you get should be thick kind of like dough.

Layer a small baking tray (around 22cm long) with parchment paper. Add the mixture on top and spread evenly along the tray. Put other parchment paper sheet on top and even the mixture if needed. Put in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to thicken.

Cut the square bars to 8-9 equal pieces, wrap each of them individually and keep in a cool dry place.

These are good up to two weeks, but trust me – they won’t last that long.
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Hey, guys.

Quite a while had passed since the last time I had shared a recipe on this blog. It’s mostly due the fact I had lost the password for it, but it is now recovered and I fully intend on keeping it more active this time. Promise. There are quite a few recipes coming up and I am beyond excited to share them with you.

So, on to the cheesecake.

During the past year my love for caramel foods got freaking magnified, mostly because one of my TV ships from a TV show I watch is called ‘Karamel’, but we are not here to talk about this. Though if you want to have a friendly chat about it – feel free to send me a message. Anyways, who doesn’t love chocolate and caramel mixed together? Honestly, this combination is one of my absolute favorites. I love it so freaking much, during the past half year I’ve made not one but two cheesecakes flavored like that.

There is just something about the combination between sweet and salty that I can’t shake. This delicious goodness, which might not look like much or like anything fancy really, quickly became my favorite flavor cheesecake ever. It’s easy to make, takes around 30 minutes to make and literally melts in your mouth. The addition of the melted chocolate on top makes it even more delicious and if you give it a try while it’s still mostly frozen, kind of tastes like chocolate covered ice cream. Or ‘like pure heaven’ as my mom described it.

If you do choose to try it, please tag me in the post using the hashtag #pearsnpancakes. More recipes – pancakes, nice cream, raw treats and a couple of salty dishes, can be found here   .

CHOCOLATE/SALTED CARAMEL RAW VEGAN CHEESECAKE

*makes 1 small cheesecake, around 9 slices

for the base:

250g medjol dates, pitted
50g coconut chips, raw
75g mixed raw nuts (cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts)

for the chocolate layer:

200g raw cashews, soaked overnight
155g agave syrup
150g coconut crème
70ml coconut oil
30g raw cacao powder
½ juiced lemon

for the salted caramel layer:

150g raw cashews, soaked
100g medjol dates, pitted
1/4tsp ground sea salt
50ml coconut oil
200g coconut crème
1tbsp smooth peanut butter or raw almond butter
50g agave syrup
½ juiced lemon

DIRECTIONS:

Soak the dates/nuts for the base. Same with the cashews for each of the layers.

Layer the cake form with parchment paper. Mix the ingredients for the base in a blender/food processor and process until smooth. Spread the mixture evenly at the bottom of the cake form.

Next, mix the ingredients for the chocolate layer in a blender and process until smooth. Pour the mixture on top of the base and if you want, add some berries hidden inside *I used blackberries/blueberries*. Put in the freezer until you prepare the caramel layer the same way.

Carefully pour the salted caramel layer on top and put back in the freezer overnight.

Take out of the freezer around 15-20 minutes before serving.

Melt some raw dark chocolate and drizzle all over the cake. Sprinkle some cacao bean nibs and sea salt crystals or just serve with fresh/frozen fruits; or whatever else you want.

Serve straight away and keep in the freezer afterwards.