How to Treat Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Naturally

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a burden that millions of people
are forced to deal with every year. Though men can develop them, urinary
tract infections are much more common in women. It is one of the most
prevalent type of infection for women to contract and there are many
different ways it can originate. The first thing you should do if you
think you might be affected by this common ailment is check for
symptoms.

Symptoms

The following clues are tell-tale signs that you may have contracted a UTI:

• A painful burning sensation when you are urinating
• High temperature and fever
• You’ll notice you feel the urge to use the bathroom more often but when you go, very little comes out
• Bits of blood in your urine
• Your urine looks dark and dehydrated
•  Discomfort in the abs and pelvis
• An odd smell from your urine

It is important to note that it is best to treat UTI as soon as you
notice the signs of it and that UTI that last longer than two days
requires medical intervention. This is because untreated UTI can infect
the kidneys and turn into a much more serious problem. There are several
types of UTI and if it is serious enough you may need to be put on
prescription medication.

Take the Natural Path

Chances are you don’t have to jump right to over the counter methods
or use any type of pills to treat yourself if it is in its early stages.
Most urinary tract infections can easily be treated with natural
methods. The ones listed below are surprisingly effective ways to
alleviate your UTI symptoms:

Increasing Your Water Intake

Making sure you have an ample amount of fluid in your system is
important when you contract an infection in your urinary tract. Keeping
hydrated will help your immune system detox the infected area much
quicker. Steer clear of drinks that contain caffeine, alcohol, and high
amounts of sugar, as they will contribute to dehydration.

Baking Soda and Water

This may not be the most appealing option when it comes to taste but
it could certainly be worse. Mixing about a teaspoon of baking soda with
a glass of water will contribute in eliminating the acidity present in
your urinary tract.

Pineapples

The enzyme in pineapples called bromelain has been tested and proven
to yield significant results in treating UTI. The anti-inflammatory
functions of this tasty fruit help treat symptoms much quicker when
combined with other methods. Read more about pineapples in my article how to use pineapple as a medicine.

Cranberries and Blueberries

If pineapples aren’t your favorite, these two types of berries are
also potent infection fighters that you can easily incorporate into your
diet. Whether they are in fruit or juice form, they are loaded with
bacteria fighting ingredients and anti-oxidants that contribute to
healthy bladder function. If you consume it in a juice form, make sure
it has a high content of fruit and the minimum amount of sugar possible.
To learn more about the amazing healing properties of cranberries and
blueberries, as well as other berries, have a look at my e-book The Healing Berry Guide. This e-book will teach you how to transform your health with berries.

Vitamin C

Getting the right amount of vitamin C in your diet is essential to
many different bodily functions. Doctors have noticed that the
powerhouse vitamin is especially good at acidifying your urine and
preventing bacteria from developing in it.

Yogurt

Yogurt is kind of like the unsung hero of UTI treatments. Not many
people have caught on to its effective infection fighting properties.
The healthy bacteria in it play a big role in treating UTI. Just make
sure you avoid flavored ones that are loaded with sugar. Use plain
unsweetened yogurt.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Many people that have struggled with UTI have flocked to this method
of natural treatment. The enzymes present in apple cider vinegar thwart
the growth of bacteria and prevent future issues from developing in the
bladder. Try consuming 2-3 tablespoons a day mixed with a tall glass of
water for the best results. You can find here 10 uses for apple cider vinegar.

Preventing Future Issues

One of the worst things about UTI is its persistence. Once you get
rid of one, it isn’t uncommon to contract another infection within a
matter of weeks. There are a few things you can do to ensure you live an
infection free life:



























- Stay hydrated throughout the day, drinking plenty of water or herbal teas

- Focus on a balanced diet consisting of nutritionally dense foods

- Urinate immediately after having sexual intercourse

- Wipe from the front to the back after going to the bathroom

- Never hold in urine for prolonged periods of time

- Take a shower instead of a bath that can provide a breeding ground for infection and avoid over cleaning the area

DIY: All-Natural Coconut Deodorant

 For years, deodorant was something I applied every day without
question because that’s what society has told us to do since our
underarms started perspiring and giving off odor. Then one day a few
years ago I did indeed stop to think about what was in my deodorant, and
I freaked out! I saw something that looked like this:

• Active Ingredient: Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex 15.4%
• 
  Inactive Ingredients: Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Kernel Oil; Stearyl
  Alcohol; Cyclomethicone; C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate; PPG-14 Butyl Ether;
  Hydrogenated Castor Oil; Hydrogenated Soybean Oil; PEG-8 Distearate;
  Fragrance; Hydrolyzed Corn Starch; Behenyl Alcohol

After
several years of trying to find a good all-natural deodorant that didn’t
make me stink or break out in a rash, I finally decided to make my own.
It turned out to be one of the easiest and most beneficial recipes that
I’ve ever created. These days, I only wear my homemade deodorant.

All-Natural Coconut Deodorant

Prep Time: 5 minutes


Cool Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 
1/8 cup cornstarch

• 1/8 cup arrowroot powder

• Essential oils of choice (optional)

Directions


Combine coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch, and arrowroot in a mixing
bowl. When well combined, add in a drop or two of your favorite
essential oil. **Note, I use this deodorant as is without the essential
oils and it works amazingly well!

Lastly, pour into an empty
deodorant container, or simply pour into a small Mason jar and
refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and use as
needed.



If using a Mason jar you'll have to chip out little
pieces and rub them onto your armpit. The deodorant will melt and apply
smoothly upon contact with skin. I've found that one batch of deodorant
lasts me several months. Also, no need to store in the refrigerator
unless your home is at a temperature at which coconut oil is liquid at
room temperature.

8 Ways to Get an Early Morning Edge

Hone your mind, sculpt your body, increase your effectiveness, and improve your day all in an hour or less.

SOUL

Relax, lower your blood pressure and improve your concentration with these quick and easy breathing techniques.

Step 1: Mas Vidal’s Three-part Breathing Exercise (two-three minutes)
Choose a quite place, and take a seat. When you’re ready, breathe in while silently counting to seven. At the top of the inhalation, hold your breath for a count of seven. Then slowly exhale for a count of seven. Repeat the cycle for two to three minutes, increasing or decreasing the count depending on your breath capacity. According to Mas, this exercise will relax your body and mind, lower your blood pressure, and improve your concentration.

Step 2: Mas Vidal’s Tensing and Relaxing Exercise (less than a minute)
Remain seated, and take a long, deep breath. Hold your breath at the top and tense your body completely for three seconds. Then open your mouth, exhale, and completely release all tension in your body. This exercise will improve your concentration and release tension and anxiety—a good way to begin the day.

MIND

Boost your brain’s performance by challenging yourself to think outside the box and maintain focus.
Step 3: Dr. Green’s Tips for Better Brain Health (no extra time)
On Monday, wear your watch upside down. On Tuesday, brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand (i.e. if you’re right handed, use your left hand). Have an early conference call on Wednesday? Then doodle while listening in. On Thursday, eat your breakfast with you non-dominant hand. On Friday, tune in to a foreign radio station while getting ready for work. Whatever you do, make sure to throw your brain a little curve ball. According to Dr. Green, when we challenge our brains, we force our neurons to make new connections (and doodling helps improve the brain’s capacity for attention and memory).
Step 4: Dr. Green’s Focus Challenge (no extra time)
Rather than rushing through your morning meal and thinking about work, family, or the news, focus on the food before you. What does it look like? How does it smell? How does it taste? What does it feel like in your mouth? What does it sound like as you chew? This is a form of mindfulness meditation. By focusing your attention on your immediate experience, you’ll improve your memory and begin to function at a higher level. (Note: this can be done with nearly any experience, not just breakfast.)
- See more at: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/pro-tips/8-ways-get-early-morning-edge#sthash.sNmi89Eg.dpuf

 SOUL

Relax, lower your blood pressure and improve your concentration with these quick and easy breathing techniques.

Step 1: Mas Vidal’s Three-part Breathing Exercise (two-three minutes)
Choose a quite place, and take a seat. When you’re ready, breathe in while silently counting to seven. At the top of the inhalation, hold your breath for a count of seven. Then slowly exhale for a count of seven. Repeat the cycle for two to three minutes, increasing or decreasing the count depending on your breath capacity. According to Mas, this exercise will relax your body and mind, lower your blood pressure, and improve your concentration.

Step 2: Mas Vidal’s Tensing and Relaxing Exercise (less than a minute)
Remain seated, and take a long, deep breath. Hold your breath at the top and tense your body completely for three seconds. Then open your mouth, exhale, and completely release all tension in your body. This exercise will improve your concentration and release tension and anxiety—a good way to begin the day.
MIND

Boost your brain’s performance by challenging yourself to think outside the box and maintain focus.

Step 3: Dr. Green’s Tips for Better Brain Health (no extra time)
On Monday, wear your watch upside down. On Tuesday, brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand (i.e. if you’re right handed, use your left hand). Have an early conference call on Wednesday? Then doodle while listening in. On Thursday, eat your breakfast with you non-dominant hand. On Friday, tune in to a foreign radio station while getting ready for work. Whatever you do, make sure to throw your brain a little curve ball. According to Dr. Green, when we challenge our brains, we force our neurons to make new connections (and doodling helps improve the brain’s capacity for attention and memory).

Step 4: Dr. Green’s Focus Challenge (no extra time)
Rather than rushing through your morning meal and thinking about work, family, or the news, focus on the food before you. What does it look like? How does it smell? How does it taste? What does it feel like in your mouth? What does it sound like as you chew? This is a form of mindfulness meditation. By focusing your attention on your immediate experience, you’ll improve your memory and begin to function at a higher level. (Note: this can be done with nearly any experience, not just breakfast.)




BODY (FITNESS)

Step 5: Mark Sisson’s Quick and Intense Workout (30 minutes or less, three days a week)
  You can complete most of these workouts in about 20 minutes and you won’t need a gym. Using only your body weight, you can do all of your workouts at home, in your hotel, or at the nearest park. Complete two intense body weight exercises per week and one sprinting session per week, to maximize results.

Body Weight Exercise Option 1: Burpees This is the simplest workout and you can do it in your living room. Start in the standing position, shoot down to a squatting position with your hands on the ground, thrust back into a pushup position, do a pushup, and jump back into a standing position. Repeat that 20 to 35 times, with little to no rest in between, and you have yourself a quick and effective workout. You can do this twice a week—once before work on Monday and once before work on Friday.

Body Weight Exercise Option 2: 50-50-12 This one’s a bit more demanding. It requires three sets of 50 pushups, 50 squats and 12 pull-ups with little to no rest in between. Sisson calls this his “hotel” workout because even if your hotel room doesn’t have a pull-up bar, you can do it in the stairwell using the top step (above your head).

Body Weight Exercise Option 3: Three-Two-One The most demanding of the bunch, this one requires 300 pushups, 200 squats and 100 pull-ups. Do as many as you can in each category, and then move on to the next, repeating the cycle until you’ve reached your target numbers. You can feel free to adjust the numbers according to your ability. So if you can only do 100 pushups, then do 60 to 65 squats and 30 to 35 pull-ups. You can mix it up with some lunges and burpees. And for rest, you can stand up, shake it out and pace around for up to 40 seconds.

Sprints If you don’t have a park to run in, a stationary bike, elliptical, or treadmill will suffice. The concept is simple: 20 to 30 seconds of all-out sprint followed by 30 seconds of rest, repeated six to eight times. With a little warm up and cool down, it will only take about 20 minutes of your time. But if that sounds too easy, try 45 to 60 second sprints with up to two-minute rests in between. That should get your blood pumping. Do this once a week. 
BODY (NUTRITION)

Step 6: Mark Sisson’s Breakfast of Champions (30 minutes or less)
If you’re on the go, you can make yourself a quick breakfast shake using only whey protein powder, coconut milk and almonds, or simply heat up some leftover meat from the night before. If you have a little more time, you can make an easy omelet with four whole eggs and your choice of veggie. The key is to replace grains, legumes, sugar and industrial seed oils with plenty of protein, fat, and natural fiber. Say no to cereal, sweets (including OJ), and toast, and yes to eggs, nuts, veggies, butter, and olive oil. According to Sisson, the goal is to transform you into an “efficient, fat-burning beast” and it starts with your diet. 
COMMUTE

Steps 7 and 8: Dr. Green and Mark Sisson’s Tips For an Effective Morning Commute
Dr. Green recommends periodically altering the route you take to work to help you challenge your brain and become more mentally fit. Sisson recommends parking a mile away from your office (or getting off a few subway stops early) to give your body an extra edge. Alternately, if you work in a high rise and normally take the elevator, Sisson recommends that you take the stairs. The goal isn’t to work up a sweat, but to raise your metabolic rate and burn more fat.



As a man living in a hectic and highly competitive world, it’s not enough to establish proficiency in one or two aspects of life. You need to take a more holistic approach if you hope to gain that all-important edge. That’s why we’ve put together a panel of experts to give you some quick and easy tips in the fields of meditation, brain health, physical fitness, and nutrition—soul, mind, and body. By incorporating their expertise into your morning routine, you’ll be on your way to a happier, healthier, and more productive life. Our experts are: Mas Vidal, the founder and director of Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda (DSYA) in Los Angeles; Cynthia R. Green, Ph. D, a leading expert in memory fitness and brain health, and the author of the forthcoming book 30 Days to Total Brain Health; and Mark Sisson, the bestselling author of The Primal Blueprint and 21 Day Total Body Transformation and one of the most ripped 58-year-olds you’ll ever meet.

As a man living in a hectic and highly competitive world, it’s not enough to establish proficiency in one or two aspects of life. You need to take a more holistic approach if you hope to gain that all-important edge. That’s why we’ve put together a panel of experts to give you some quick and easy tips in the fields of meditation, brain health, physical fitness, and nutrition—soul, mind, and body. By incorporating their expertise into your morning routine, you’ll be on your way to a happier, healthier, and more productive life. Our experts are: Mas Vidal, the founder and director of Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda (DSYA) in Los Angeles; Cynthia R. Green, Ph. D, a leading expert in memory fitness and brain health, and the author of the forthcoming book 30 Days to Total Brain Health; and Mark Sisson, the bestselling author of The Primal Blueprint and 21 Day Total Body Transformation and one of the most ripped 58-year-olds you’ll ever meet. - See more at: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/pro-tips/8-ways-get-early-morning-edge#sthash.sNmi89Eg.dpuf

6 Simple Steps to a Successful

Never worry about building an ineffective workout plan by following this cut and dry blueprint.



Whether you are looking to customize your workouts, address your own particular weaknesses or you accidentally forgot your latest workout from the pages of Men’s Fitness at home, having the knowledge to design your own training program can really be empowering and make you feel like you know your way around the gym. All it takes is a little bit of thought and a willingness to follow some guidelines.


Set a Goal

First thing’s first. You have to figure out what your goal is. And just in case you forgot why you started training in the first place, it’s probably to accomplish one of three things—getting stronger, getting bigger or getting leaner. Are all these goals independent of each other? No. But it’s a good idea to put the majority of your efforts into one at a time.


Sets and Reps

Once you’ve decided what training effect you are after, it’s time to lay out a rep and set scheme. If getting as strong as possible is your thing, you want to keep the reps lower and add more sets. Think 6 sets of 3-5 reps. If getting bigger is your goal, the classic three sets of 8-12 reps will work very well. If you want your training to be more metabolic for the purpose of fat loss, think higher reps like 15-20.


Choose the Right Movements


Exercise order and selection is also critical. As a general rule you always want to put the bigger, more complex movements in the beginning of the routine. These exercise are more difficult to perform and can take a lot out of you so you want to do them when you’re fresh. Smaller, isolation type movements should be saved for later in the routine with core and ab-specific movements coming at the end. Big, multi-joint movements such as the Olympic lifts, deadlifts, squats, push presses, bench press, leg press, chin ups, dips and bent-over rows should come early in the program. Next you can work on your hamstring curls, leg extensions, biceps curls, skull crushers, calf raises and any other single-muscle moves. Finish off the routine with hanging knee raises, planks or anything else that focuses on the good ol’ six pack.




Don't Forget to Rest

Following rest intervals may be the most overlooked aspect of any training program, yet it is really important in helping you reach your goals. In other words, pay attention to the clock when you rest, not the girl in the tight spandex doing Romanian Deadlifts. Again, rest intervals depend on the training phase you are in. For maximal strength and power, rest should be longer—around 2 minutes between sets as you really want to feel recovered in between sets. For size, 45 to 75 seconds between sets is a good rule of thumb. Metabolic training relies on your heart rate being elevated so you don’t want rest to be too long, 30 seconds or less.


Follow the Rules Before You Break Them

There’s a time to break every rule and as you get more experience with writing programs you’ll know when to change things up. But whether you want to gain power, strength, size or leanness, following these general guidelines will help you design a plan that will get you where you want to go. And now that your training is over for the day, feel free to ask the girl in the spandex for her number.


Some Last-Minute Tips

Finally, always remember that when the number of reps decrease the load should increase. So if you are doing sets of three reps the weight on the bar should certainly be higher than what you would be using for 10 reps. And if your program has more than 24 total sets in any given day, take another shot at it because you are focusing on variety more than quality.

The No-Situp Ab Workout Build a rock-solid core and ripped abs with these alternatives

1. Single-arm Weighted Carries



The single-arm weighted carry is a go-to exercise, every workout. It's very simple to perform and very beneficial in many ways. Simply grab a weight in one hand and start walking.



Some tips to quality weighted carries are:



1. Maintain good posture. Chest up, eyes up, and shoulders back. Be sure to not hunch or round the shoulders or upper back.

2. Brace Your Core. To do this, flex your core like someone is going to punch you in the stomach. This immediately will give you the feeling of creating a brace.

3. Make a fist with your free hand. This will create more full body tension, which will make this more of a full-body exercise.





Weighted single-arm carries can be done with dumbbells, kettlebells, standard barbells, and more.

2. Pushup Hold Walkouts

2. Pushup Hold Walkouts

This is a simple yet effective core exercise that requires no equipment that will turn your abs to bricks.

1. Start in a pushup position with your hands under your shoulders.

2. Brace your core like you're going to get punched and squeeze your glutes as hard as possible.

3. From here start walking your hands upward, one at a time past your head. Keep walking your hands up slowly and controlled.

4. Your core will immediately brace and you'll feel your midsection lock down.

5. Hold the walk-out position for 3-5 seconds, walk your hands back to pushup, position, and repeat.

Always be sure to keep your core locked and maintain a strong, neutral spine.

3. Side Plank

Planks and side planks are a great exercise for core strength, improving hip issues, and helping people with lower-back pain. The side plank especially is a low-risk, high-benefit exercise.

To do a side plank:

1. Lie on your side. Put your top leg directly in front of your bottom leg. The heel of your top foot should be in line with tips of your toes of the bottom foot.

2. Take the elbow of the side you're lying on and prop yourself on your elbow with your elbow and shoulder stacked in a straight line.

3. From here rise up the hip that is on the ground and maintain a good neutral spine and brace hard.

4. Hold this position for as long as possible without losing form. Rest and repeat as necessary.

The
single-arm weighted carry is a go-to exercise, every workout. It's very
simple to perform and very beneficial in many ways. Simply grab a
weight in one hand and start walking.

Some tips to quality weighted carries are:


1. Maintain good posture. Chest up, eyes up, and shoulders back. Be sure to not hunch or round the shoulders or upper back.
2.
Brace Your Core. To do this, flex your core like someone is going to
punch you in the stomach. This immediately will give you the feeling of
creating a brace.
3. Make a fist with your free hand. This will create more full body tension, which will make this more of a full-body exercise.


Weighted single-arm carries can be done with dumbbells, kettlebells, standard barbells, and more.

- See more at: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/workout-routines/no-situp-ab-workout?page=2#sthash.uYBI4QP6.dpuf

The
single-arm weighted carry is a go-to exercise, every workout. It's very
simple to perform and very beneficial in many ways. Simply grab a
weight in one hand and start walking.

Some tips to quality weighted carries are:


1. Maintain good posture. Chest up, eyes up, and shoulders back. Be sure to not hunch or round the shoulders or upper back.
2.
Brace Your Core. To do this, flex your core like someone is going to
punch you in the stomach. This immediately will give you the feeling of
creating a brace.
3. Make a fist with your free hand. This will create more full body tension, which will make this more of a full-body exercise.


Weighted single-arm carries can be done with dumbbells, kettlebells, standard barbells, and more.

- See more at: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/workout-routines/no-situp-ab-workout?page=2#sthash.uYBI4QP6.dpuf

The single-arm weighted carry
is a go-to exercise, every workout. It's very simple to perform and very
beneficial in many ways. Simply grab a weight in one hand and start
walking.

Some tips to quality weighted carries are:


1. Maintain good posture. Chest up, eyes up, and shoulders back. Be sure to not hunch or round the shoulders or upper back.
2.
Brace Your Core. To do this, flex your core like someone is going to
punch you in the stomach. This immediately will give you the feeling of
creating a brace.
3. Make a fist with your free hand. This will create more full body tension, which will make this more of a full-body exercise.


Weighted single-arm carries can be done with dumbbells, kettlebells, standard barbells, and more.

- See more at: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/workout-routines/no-situp-ab-workout?page=2#sthash.uYBI4QP6.dpuf

9 Healthy Homemade Protein Bar Recipes

Recipes by Alex Orlov on 11/6/2013

Holy grocery bills — those store-bought protein bars sure aren’t cheap! While protein bars can be a convenient way to fuel up before or after a workout, some varieties contain a long list of artificial ingredients and added sugars, which can do more harm than good. Luckily, these homemade protein bar recipes have all of the protein and none of the junk, making them a great option on-the-go or in your gym bag.

RELATED: 9 Healthy Homemade Energy Bar Recipes

1. “Chubby Hubby” Protein BarsPeanut butter, almond milk, oat flour and a generous amount of rice protein powder make up the base of this decadent bar that gets its name from the bestselling Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor. Though the recipe is easy to follow, you may have a hard time waiting for them to refrigerate overnight! Photo and Recipe: Jessica / Desserts With Benefits

2. Blueberry Bliss Breakfast BarsGluten-free and vegan, these bars are packed with healthy dried fruits and nuts, while almond butter, maple syrup and applesauce bind the nutty goodness together. Your belly will be full of happy, since each serving packs eight grams of protein and four grams of fiber! Photo and Recipe: Kelly / Inspired Edibles

3. Peanut Butter Pretzel BarsPure pretzel and peanut buttery bliss with nine grams of protein? Count us in! These bars are low in fat (only three grams per serving) and high on flavor. If you don’t have soy crisps on hand, try using crisped rice cereal instead. Photo and Recipe: Amy / Foods for the Soul

4. Strawberry Protein BarsDon’t be fooled by the pretty in pink color! These strawberry and coconut bars pack a serious amount of protein — 17 grams per bar. Coat them in antioxidant-rich dark chocolate for an even more divine bite. Photo and Recipe: Viviane / Chocolate Chilli Mango

5. German Chocolate Protein BarsHealthy protein disguised as dessert? Yes, please! Dates, oat flower, cocoa, coconut and pecans pack a delicious punch. If your dates are too dry to use, try soaking them overnight before chopping them in a food processor. Photo and Recipe: Sarah / The Sweet Life Online

RELATED: 7 Quick and Easy Paleo Pancake Recipes

6. Ginger Vanilla Protein Crunch BarsMade with crystallized ginger, coconut, vanilla, and almonds, there’s plenty of flavor in these dairy- and gluten-free bars. Bonus: You don’t need a food processor to make these extra-hearty snacks. Photo and Recipe: Kristinia / Spabettie

7. Quick ‘n Easy No-Bake Protein BarsNo oven, no problem. Use peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter) mixed with rice crisp cereal and oat flour as a base for these easy no-bake bars. Dress up your eight grams of protein with a pretty chocolate drizzle. Photo and Recipe: Angela / Oh She Glows

8. No Bake Almond Fudge Protein BarsSuper easy to make, and super difficult to resist! These bars are perfect for those with peanut allergies, or those who are allergic to spending hours in the kitchen. It will only take you 10 minutes to mix up the oats, almond butter, honey and rice cereal (though you might get impatient waiting 30 minutes for the bars to set in the fridge!). Photo and Recipe: Amanda / Running With Spoons

9. Fudge Brownie Chocolate Protein BarsQuash mid-afternoon hunger with these bars that pack seven grams of protein per serving. Blend black beans, cocoa powder, protein powder and chocolate chips in a food processer, bake and then refrigerate overnight. And for serious chocolate fiends, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top before popping them in the oven. Photo and Recipe: Katie / Chocolate Covered Katie

BONUS! Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein BarsMade with six grams of protein per bar, these chocolatey, peanut buttery bites will put store-bought snacks to shame. If you don’t own a food processor, you can purchase oat flour at most grocery stores. To keep it vegan, simply replace the whey protein powder with a plant-based variety and use maple syrup in lieu of honey. Photo and Recipe: Emily Miller /Life by DailyBurn

Blueberry Bliss Breakfast Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free)

BLUEBERRY BLISS BREAKFAST BARS

Blueberry Bliss Breakfast Bars (Raw, Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free)

• 1 + 1/2 cups 100% pure, uncontaminated, rolled oats***
• 3/4 cup whole almonds 
• Heaping 1/2 cup dried blueberries 
• 1/2 cup pistachios 
• 1/3 cup ground flaxseed 
• 1/3 cup walnuts 
• 1/3 cup pepitas 
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce 
• 1 cup almond butter 

Serving: Makes 16 bars



Notes:

1. Substitute any nut/seed of choice or dried fruit as desired.  Sliced apricot, cranberries, cherries, dates & fig are all delicious here.
2. ***Pure oatmeal does not contain gluten however many commercially sold oats do due to cross-contamination issues. If you are gluten sensitive or have celiac disease, be sure to seek out certified 'gluten-free' oatmeal.

Directions:

1. Line an 8"x 8" (or so) baking pan with parchment or wax paper such that the paper hangs over the edges (the pan I used is 7" x 10").
2. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine.
3. Add maple syrup or honey and apple sauce and mix to combine. 
4. Add almond butter to mixture and mix until combined. 
5. Place batter in prepared pan pressing down firmly with palm of hands (or mini-roller if you have one) and distributing as evenly as possible.
6. Allow pan to sit in freezer for approximately 1 hour. 
7. Remove pan from freezer. Lift singular slab from pan by lifting up on paper. Set slab down and gently peel paper away.  Slice slab diagonally into 8 long bars and then cut each long bar in half to create a total of 16 bars.  I find these bars keep best in a sealed container/bag in the freezer.

© Inspired Edibles

  Print this recipe card

Press down firmly so that everything sticks together

Voila! your slab ready to be cut into bars