DIY Copycat Quest Bars

While on my fitness journey, I have become obsessed with Quest bars.  I mean OBSESSED!! Most protein, meal replacement bars are good, but taste a bit off.  Quest bars taste like heaven in your mouth.  Especially the White Chocolate Raspberry!  I drool just thinking about it.  These bars are filling, help with my sweet tooth, and are filled with healthy, nutritious goodness. 

Sadly, they are made with whey, which doesn't fit into the vegan lifestyle I am trying to build.  Luckily, I happened across The Big Man's World website.  With a little bit of adjusting, I came up with a recipe for gluten-free, mostly-vegan, deliciously homemade protein bar.

Ingredients
3 c. gluten-free oat flour
2 scoops of protein powder (vegan or whey if not vegan)
2 T granulated sweetener (I used Stevia)
1/2 t salt
1/2 c of nut butter (I used almond)
1/2 c brown rice syrup
2 t vanilla extract
4-6 T unsweetened almond milk
White chocolate chips or chunks (only part not vegan, I used 1/2 c)
Dried raspberries (I dehydrated my own, use as many or as little as you want)

Add dry ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix well.
 

In separate microwave-safe bowl, melt nut butter and syrup.  I put mine in the microwave for 1 min, mixing halfway through.  Add 2 t vanilla, blend.

Combine liquid and dry mixture.  Mix well. 

Slowly add 1 T of almond milk at a time until dough is formed.

Right amount of almond milk

Too much almond milk, add more flour to correct

Make sure the mixture has cooled, so chocolate doesn't melt.  Then fold in white chocolate and raspberries.

Separate into equal parts (I got 14 out of mine).  Place onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  You can either smush them into cookies or bars as I did.

cookies

bars

the vegan dough wouldn't incorporate the white chocolate, like it knew it ruined the veganess, lol

Refrigerate for at least 30 min.  I take my to work for lunch, so I like to keep mine in the freezer (I wrap them in strips of the parchment paper and place in plastic baggie).  At lunch time, they are thawed by still chilled.

I had some trouble finding a few of the ingredients (actually, I didn't feel like running all over town to several stores to find them).  The dried raspberries and vegan white chocolate where a problem.  I have a recipe to make vegan white chocolate, but I couldn't find one of the ingredients for that so, I made due with what I could.  I dehydrated a clamshell of organic raspberries and used regular white chocolate chips, until I can find or make vegan ones.  Also, I made half the recipe vegan (not counting the white chocolate) and half whey for the BF.  We both agreed they were yummy!  The cost for 14 bars was about $20-$25.

Nutrient facts
Vegan: 

Whey:

ENJOY!!!