Name: Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Protein Bars
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 6 Large Eggs; 1 Ripe Banana; 1/2 Cup Unsweetened applesauce; 1 Can Black beans, rinsed and drained; 3 Scoops Chocolate protein powder; 2 Tbsp. Dark cocoa powder; 1 1/2 Tsp. Baking powder; 3 Tsp. Lakanto Monk Fruit sugar substitute; 2 Tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract; 1 Cup Fat-free Cottage cheese; 1/2 Cup Cherries, fresh or frozen; 1/4 Cup Lakanto Dark Chocolate chips; Cooking spray

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At first glance, my chocolate, chocolate, chocolate protein bars might seem to be an odd combination of ingredients but when they are all combined, you get something between a chocolate cheesecake and a cherry chocolate brownie and they are absolutely addictive. It is naturally sweet from the fruit and a little Lakanto monk fruit, but also has a great chocolate flavor from the three sources of chocolate: chocolate protein powder, unsweetened dark cocoa powder, and sugar-free chocolate chips. It is a protein bomb and is just so satisfying. I’ve had this for breakfast, as a snack and often as a treat. There is no added sugar, and no flour so it is gluten-free and packed with protein. Did I mention, it is just chocolate, chocolate, chocolate? So good.

You can treat this like a brownie and serve with sliced fruit and a little sugar- free whipped cream and turn it into a yummy dessert. I personally just like having a tray of these in the fridge ready to go when I need a little something. These chocolate protein bars are packed with “good for you” stuff and are guilt free. You are going to feel good about eating these. They make a great breakfast or light lunch too.

To make these, start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 9 x 9 baking pan or disposable foil pan with cooking spray and put to the side. NOTE: I’ve made these in individual ramekins and have served as dessert (see photos). If you do that, this recipe will make 6-8 individual ramekins, depending on the size of dish you use. You will bake these for about 30-35 minutes and let cool. You can also use an 8 x 8 baking pan and 2-3 ramekins if that is what you have on hand. Don’t waste a drop!

You are going to add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor except for cooking spray and the chocolate chips, and blend until smooth. How easy is this?

Blend everything up until smooth. This makes a very loose batter that easily pours. Don’t worry, it sets up when you are baking it. Pour into the pan and then sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Before you ask, YES, you can use more if you like. LOL. Pop into the oven for about 45-50 minutes. You want the center set. As the dish cools, the center of the pan will firm up and the mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan.

If the center doesn’t completely firm up, you have an ooey-gooey middle like brownies or cheesecake. Honestly, you can’t mess this up.

A couple of notes on the ingredients.

The riper the bananas, the sweeter the dish. I like to use one banana and 1/2 cup of applesauce for the perfect bit. BUT, you can use two bananas and omit the applesauce if that is your preference. When it comes to cherries, if they are in season, use fresh, otherwise, frozen cherries work just fine. I love the combination and these taste like cherry chocolate brownies when you are done. I have also substituted both fresh and frozen berries. Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries all work. Want to add more than 1/2 cup of berries? Go right ahead. This is an incredibly forgiving “recipe” and you can’t mess it up. NOTE: I ruined this dish when I didn’t check for pits in the frozen cherries. As my brother described it, it was like eating rocks…OUCH! Every once in awhile, the manufacturer will miss a pit so now, when using frozen cherries, I open each one to be sure there are no pits. The rock incident only happened once, and I swore it would never happen again. Learn from my mistake!

I am a big fan of Lakanto monk fruit products and in this dish used their Lakanto granulated sugar substitute. You can use another sugar substitute or regular sugar if you prefer. I just look to eliminate excess sugar if I can.

For the chocolate protein powder, I’ve used Premier Protein 100% Whey Protein powder in chocolate. I love the taste but as always, feel free to substitute your favorite chocolate protein powder here. I’ve also used Lakanto’s Dark Chocolate Chips. Again, use your favorite sugar-free brand or regular dark chocolate chips here. It is your call. They all work and add a nice hit of chocolate to the mix.

When it comes to cottage cheese, I use the fat-free version. However, go ahead and use 1%, 2% or full fat versions. You could also substitute ricotta cheese. I love that it adds a lot of texture to the bars…like cheesecake!

For the beans, I use black beans since it adds to the chocolate look of these brownie bites. However, you could use cannelllini or garbanzo beans too.

Let this cool on the counter for 20 minutes then cover and place in the fridge for 30 – 60 minutes to chill completely. This is so much better when firmed up and completely chilled.

Cut four cuts vertically and four cuts horizontally to create 16 squares. If you want these to have a shape more like a bar, just cut down the middle and then across three times creating 8 longer bars. Eat like a brownie (with or without a fork). If I serve these for dessert, I’ll add fresh cherries or berries and some sugar-free whipped cream on the side. Otherwise, they are a great snack or a grab-and-go breakfast.

Did you like this powerhouse chocolate, chocolate, chocolate protein bar recipe? If so, try some of my other favorite protein breakfast ideas.

Zucchini Egg Cups

Zucchini Feta Pie

Peanut Butter Waffles

Whipped Ricotta Toast with Cherries and Hot Honey

Fig and Walnut Breakfast Muffins

Egg Muffins