A Savory Protein Bar for Snacking

Our protein series continues with a tender, sturdy snack bar that's a little different from the other protein bars out there

Welcome to Part 4 in my 6-week series focusing on protein! If you’d like to catch up, here’s what’s been going on:

• Week 1: Overview plus a recipe for Seared Tofu with Sizzled Dates, Farro, and Fresh Pea Sauce

• Week 2: Protein-rich breakfasts plus a recipe for Savory Protein Muffins (kind of like egg bites)

• Week 3: Tempeh spotlight plus a recipe for Sweet-Savory Tempeh Burgers

  ---

I’ve spent about three weeks mulling over what a savory protein bar would be like. What are the flavors? What binds it together? How can it have a meaningful amount of protein using whole-food ingredients, and also feel light enough to count as a (fortifying) snack?

Certainly there are granola bars and nut butter bars I love (like these Big Spoon Roasters or Roxana Jullapat’s pro-baker’s power bars). But I wouldn’t call them protein bars. What first comes to mind is the store-bought types that are a “chocolate” coated slab of moistened protein powder. I haven’t ever been able to stomach those.

I’ve long wanted a protein bar that isn’t trying to be candy, that doesn’t need stevia or a liquid sweetener as a binder. But that also has better protein than a granola bar — and a savory flavor profile would be nice, too.

What finally came to me as a starting point was Sarah Britton’s famous Life-Changing Loaf of Bread, a nordic-inspired blend of soaked and baked nuts and seeds that’s dense, fiber-rich, and delicious when sliced thinly and toasted.

I’ve been making Sarah’s bread for a little while and always love how satisfying just a single slice or two can be. It’s a perfect snack that happens to be dense with nutrients and better on the protein front that most other breads.

Her recipe includes psyllium husk powder to assist with the binding, an ingredient that’s been gaining popularity lately [gift NYT link]. Psyllium husks have long been used as a fiber supplement, and more recently to help bind vegan baked goods. I use them in these crackers, too.

Recipe Video

I’ve messed around with Sarah’s recipe quite a bit, from swapping the loaf format in favor of bars, to incorporating egg whites into the dough (whole eggs are traditionally used in this style of bread, and you can use them instead if you like, substituting by weight or volume). I’ve also incorporated some miso paste, for a definitively savory slant, and revamped the ingredients for a more even texture and higher protein yield.

Before you start wondering if these seem a little bit like homemade dog treats (to which I say, I know many dogs that eat quite well!) know that if your preference is for sweet, fruit and nut-butter based granola bars or store-bought protein bars, these might not hit the mark. They’re most similar in flavor to a gluten-free cracker, and crispy on the edges and a bit cakey in the center.

But I love them. And in that vein, they’d be great on a snack plate with a wedge of hard cheese and some slices of radish or cucumber. Plus they’re sturdy enough to hold their shape if jammed into a coat pocket, for eating on the run.

In my protein next installment I’m going to dive more deeply into the world of high-protein snacks. Do you have any favorites? Or any specific questions?

---

Savory Protein Bars

• A digital scale always speeds things up, which is why I’m leading with the gram measurements below.

• To veganize, replace the egg whites with water and double the psyllium husk powder, but know that the finished bars will be a bit softer and more delicate. 

• I bought my psyllium (and most of these ingredients, in fact) from nuts.com.

• If you don’t have a metal 9x13-inch baking pan, a quarter sheet pan would also work.

• Very loosely adapted from Sarah Britton’s Life Changing Loaf of Bread.

• These are a good source of fiber at 4 grams per bar!

• Protein: 11 grams per bar

Yield 12 bars | Prep time 10 minutes + 2 to 12 hours resting | Cook time About 30 minutes

80 grams (½ cup) flax seeds or flax meal
80 grams (⅔ cup) chickpea flour
80 grams (¾ cup) rolled oats (GF if necessary)
75 grams (½ cup) raw pumpkin seeds
70 grams (½ cup) raw, hulled sunflower seeds
45 grams (5 tablespoons) hulled hemp seeds
35 grams (¼ cup) raw sesame seeds
22 grams (2 tablespoons) chia seeds
11 grams (1 tablespoon) psyllium husk powder
60 grams (¼ cup) cool water
30 grams (2 tablespoons) miso paste
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
180 grams (¾ cup, 5 qty) liquid egg whites
21 grams (1 tablespoon) maple syrup
17 grams (1 ½ tablespoons) olive oil
Additional olive oil or egg white, for brushing (optional)
Flaky finishing salt, for sprinkling (optional)

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flax, chickpea flour, oats, all the seeds, and psyllium husk powder until well combined. In a tall measuring glass, combine the water, miso, and salt and stir until the miso is dissolved, then stir in the egg whites, maple syrup, and oil. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix well, then let stand to thicken for about 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, line the bottom and all four sides of a metal 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment, allowing overhang on the sides so that you can lift the bars from the pan later. Scrape the dough into the pan and press it evenly over the surface, using moistened hands. Then top with another piece of parchment and compress the mixture firmly into a thin, even layer. (See the video above for some helpful visuals.) Leaving the parchment pressed on top, cover the pan with food wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Carefully lift the mixture out of the pan, preserving its shape, and cut into 12 rectangles. Reuse the parchment to line a baking sheet, and arrange the cut bars on it. Brush them lightly with olive oil or egg white and sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.  

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned, dry to the touch, and crisp on the edges. Cool before eating. Store in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.

Recipe: Savory Protein Bars

70KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download