No Bake Monster Cookie Protein Bars

These No Bake Monster Cookie Protein Bars are a chewy, crunchy, delicious way to start the day. They are a quick breakfast that goes well with a cup of coffee. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Folgers® . The opinions and text are all mine.

Ahhh…the lazy days of summer! Just kidding, it’s more like the CRAZY days of summer. What happened to summer vacation? We’ve got so much going on this summer that it’s going to be over in the blink of an eye. That means we need to get the most out of our summer and enjoy it to the fullest.

In Minnesota, our summers are notoriously short so we are always on the lookout for tips and hacks to get things done quickly and efficiently so we can get to the fun part. A recent survey showed that coffee drinkers in Minneapolis say a good cup of coffee in the morning is more important than any other activity. Although we drink the least number of cups a day, averaging 2.7 cups, we take the longest time to drink our morning coffee, an average of 17 minutes!

Of course, we take that long! It’s summer and we are enjoying our 2.7 cups of coffee outside on the front porch or at the cabin by the lake, watching the day begin, listening to the birds chirping and the loons calling while taking advantage of the cool morning before the midday heat.

Folgers Perfect Measures coffee is great for the 80% of Minnesotan coffee drinkers who have had an issue when making their coffee. I have several girlfriends who ALWAYS have their husbands make the coffee because they say they don’t know how much ground coffee they need. These Folgers Perfect Measures take the guesswork out of how to consistently get a great tasting pot of coffee every time. No need to worry about spilled grounds or about losing track of how many scoops of coffee you scooped.

With Folgers Perfect Measures coffee, you can make the perfect pot of coffee, every time. Inside the container are small coffee tabs of 100% pure coffee, no additives. Each tab is one tablespoon of coffee grounds. Just put the numbers of tabs you need into the filter basket, add water to your coffee maker and brew your coffee. Find out more here.

I love to make a little extra coffee in the morning. After drinking a cup or two, I pour the extra coffee into ice cube trays and place them in the freezer. We use the coffee ice cubes to make iced or blended coffee drinks. The coffee ice cubes keep the coffee cold without diluting it like regular ice cubes do.

To make the No Bake Monster Cookie Protein Bars, mix together old fashioned oats, crispy rice cereal, chopped peanuts, peanut butter, honey, protein powder, and vanilla until combined. Stir in the mini chocolate gems or chocolate chips.

Press the mixture dough into a 9×13 pan. Cover and chill in the fridge until firm. Cut into 48 squares. Store the bars in a sealed container in the fridge.

These No Bake Monster Cookie Protein Bars can be taken with you on summer outings. They will soften when not refrigerated but are still super yummy.

10 Tips For Summer Mornings

1. First COFFEE: Folgers Perfect Measures coffee saves you time in the morning and ensures that you will always make the perfect pot of coffee.
2. Iced Coffee: Pour any extra brewed coffee into ice cube tray and place them in the freezer. Now you can bring a carafe of iced coffee with you wherever you go.
3. Breakfast: Make No Bake Monster Cookie Protein Bars and store them in the fridge for a quick breakfast that the kids will love! Plus, they taste great with your coffee…see above.
4. To-Do List: Make your morning to-do list before going to bed at night, set your alarm for the next morning and get your work done before the kids wake up. After being tired out from all the fresh air and summer activities, hopefully, the kids will sleep in!
5. Clothing: Choose appropriate outfits (shorts, hiking gear, dresses, or rain coats) for the kids before going to bed and have them laid out all ready to go. This one is especially good for kids who have a hard time making choices in the morning.
6. Footwear: Make sure the appropriate shoes (sneakers, sandals, flip-flops or rain boots) are by the door. Since kids often don’t wear shoes in the summer and are apt to lose them, it is better to look for them the evening before instead of when you are rushing out the door.
7. Attractions: Do a little research about attraction you will be visiting so that you won’t be caught off guard. Make note of things like the hours they are open, costs or fees, parking, and special events going on the day you plan to visit.
8. Directions: Save the location on your phone’s map so that it’s ready to go when you leave home.
9. Beach Bag: Fill a beach bag or backpack with summer essentials such as sunscreen, bug spray, lip balm, wet wipes, sun hats, sunglasses, extra clothes for little ones, plastic zip-top bags for wet swimsuits, etc. Keep the bag in the car or right by the door all summer long and replenish supplies as needed.
10. Safety First: Slather on the sunscreen, drink LOTS of water, check the weather reports, use insect repellant, wear a helmet, wear a lifejacket, keep a first aid kit in the car and be extra vigilant around water. It’s a good idea to snap a picture of your child that morning wearing their outfit for the day to have on your phone…just in case!

Have the best summer vacation ever! Take pictures, smile, laugh, explore, relax and have FUN. These days go by so fast and the kids will be back in school before you know it.

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No Bake Monster Cookie Protein Bars

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 48

Author: The Gunny Sack

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned or rolled oats
• 2 cups crispy rice cereal
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup protein powder
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups mini chocolate gems or chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Mix together old-fashioned or rolled oats, crispy rice cereal, chopped peanuts, peanut butter, honey, protein powder, and vanilla until combined.
2. Stir in the mini chocolate gems or chocolate chips.
3. Press the mixture dough into a 9×13 pan. Cover and chill in the fridge until firm. Cut into 48 squares. Store the bars in a sealed container in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

Recipe inspired by No Bake Monster Cookie Balls

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Folgers® . The opinions and text are all mine.

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