Almond Rocca Protein Bars

Yum! Want to mix things up a bit with your normal protein bars? Check out this no-bake recipe.

Ingredients

• Base:
• 2 cups nuts or seeds (almonds, sunflower, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.  Mixing several kinds is fine too.)
• ½ cup flax meal (ground flax seeds)
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut (I used Bob's Red Mill brand in the health food section)
• ½ cup seed or nut butter (I used almond butter)
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 3 scoops vanilla or cinnamon protein powder 
• 2 Tbsp honey or real maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Topping:
• 1 cup chocolate chips, melted
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1/3 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

Instructions

1. Place nuts or seeds, flax meal, coconut, seed or nut butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Process until the nuts or seeds are ground into a coarse meal
3. Melt coconut oil over low heat or microwave for a few seconds until it is liquid.
4. Add coconut oil, honey or syrup, protein powder and vanilla to processor bowl and process until well combined to form a thick, yet crunchy paste.
5. Press the mixture into an 8x8 square pan.
6. Place in refrigerator to chill.
7. While bars are chilling, melt chocolate chips with coconut oil
8. Top bars with the melted chocolate/oil mixture, then sprinkle with chopped nuts
9. Place back in refrigerator to chill 
10. Cut into 9 squares and serve.
11. Store in refrigerator.