Low-Carb Macadamia Coconut Protein Bars

Coconut butter is the trick here. It sets firm at fridge temperature the way a real bar does, so these do not need syrup or dates to hold together. Macadamias are the lowest carb nut worth eating, and shredded coconut plus flax gives the bars enough structure to survive a gym bag. Each bar runs about 3g net carbs and 10g protein.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (120g)
• 1 cup vanilla whey isolate (120g)
• 3/4 cup roasted salted macadamia nuts (100g), roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut butter (128g), melted
• 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (28g)
• 1/3 cup powdered allulose
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
2. Toast the shredded coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and about half of it is pale gold. Let it cool.
3. Combine the toasted coconut, whey isolate, flaxseed, allulose, salt, and about two thirds of the chopped macadamias in a large bowl.
4. Pour in the melted coconut butter, melted coconut oil, vanilla, and almond milk, then stir hard until every dry patch is gone and the mixture clumps when you squeeze it.
5. Press firmly into the pan with the back of a measuring cup, press the remaining macadamias into the top, and chill for at least 3 hours until solid.
6. Lift the slab out, cut into 12 bars, and store wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips

• Press the slab much harder than feels necessary. Underpressed bars crumble at the first cut, and 30 seconds of leaning on a measuring cup is what separates a bar from a bowl of coconut rubble.
• Coconut butter and coconut oil are not interchangeable. Coconut butter is ground coconut meat and provides fiber and body, while coconut oil is pure fat, and using only oil gives you a greasy bar that never firms up.
• If you cannot find macadamias, pecans are the next best swap at almost the same net carbs. Skip cashews entirely, they nearly double the carb count.

FAQ

What are the net carbs per bar?

About 3g net carbs. Shredded coconut and coconut butter are both high in fiber, so the roughly 34g of net carbs in the full batch divides down to just under 3g per bar.

Can I use sweetened shredded coconut?

No. Sweetened coconut is roughly a third sugar by weight and would push each bar past 7g net carbs. Look for a bag that lists coconut as the only ingredient.

Why did my bars turn out oily?

Usually the coconut butter separated before you measured it. Warm the jar in a bowl of hot water and stir it fully back together, since the oil layer alone throws the fat ratio off.

Can I make these dairy free?

Yes. Swap the whey for an equal weight of unflavored egg white protein and add 2 extra tablespoons of almond milk. Egg white protein absorbs more liquid than whey does.

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