Zone Bars

Directions

1. 1
   Put whey protein into a bowl and add water. Work it together, it's ok if it doesn't all combine, it should be sort of pasty with a bit of powder, but try to mix together as much as possible. Set aside.
2. 2
   Pour syrup into a microwavable bowl and microwave on high for 30-40 seconds, until it just softens up a bit. Stir in the peanut butter and mix together. It shouldn't be too hot, if it is let it sit just a bit until it's just warm. Whey protein does not combine well with really hot substances.
3. 3
   Stir into the whey and combine. You should be able to dissolve any remaining powder into the peanut butter/syrup mixture, and you've got a very sticky mixture now, so be careful!
4. 4
   Either fold the oats into the mixture if your bowl is big enough, or put the oats into a big bowl/pot and add the whey protein/peanut butter/syrup mixture to it with a spatula.
5. 5
   After adding the oats, you should knead it into a solid ball, before pressing it into a pan. Let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour and cut into bars.
6. 6
   Note: whey protein can be substituted for soy protein, making the product vegan and non-dairy, though you may need to add a bit of additional sweetener. Can also be done without a microwave, you just might have to put a bit more muscle into combining the peanut butter and syrup.