Strawberry Almond Collagen Bars (SCD, Paleo)

My personal fav homemade protein bar recipe packed with collagen & healthy fats! With a sweet & nutty flavor combo to make absolutely irresistible…

A Healthy Homemade Protein Bar

Healthy protein bars are becoming harder and harder to come by. Most brands that are out there are filled with tons of synthetic ingredients, added sugar, and cheap inflammatory seed oils: no thanks.

With that said, there are many brands now that I LOVE. But coming from a grad student on a budget, protein bars made with high quality, minimal ingredients aren’t always on my grocery list even though it takes almost all of my self control. The convenience of a protein bar simply can’t be matched.

So I’ve taken it into my hands to make my own! Buying one set of ingredients will stretch to make multiple batches of protein bars for half the price of buying them at a store. These collagen bars also last for months in the freezer and are super easy to throw in a Tupperware container to eat on the go. I bring a bar to campus with me almost every day!

When I do splurge and get a packaged protein bar, I have been loving Bulletproof bars, RXbars, and Perfect Keto Bars. All are approved on the Paleo diet, but not all of them are considered SCD-legal.

Collagen vs. Other Proteins

I supplement my diet with a collagen peptides powder almost every day for 3 reasons:

1. It’s so so easy to incorporate into ANY recipe or drink. It doesn’t change the flavor or texture at all!
2. I’ve noticed huge differences in the strength of my hair, nails, and bone/joint health.
3. Adding in an extra protein boost makes any snack or drink so much more satiating!

Because the collagen protein powder doesn’t impact the flavor or texture of whatever you put in in, it’s definitely the sneaky healthy ingredient in these collagen bars! They taste like a brick of almond butter fudge without that weird artificial protein-y aftertaste that usually comes with most whey or casein protein powders.

Collagen peptides are also something your body already makes on its own, so it doesn’t cause any funky GI symptoms that a lot of people (me included) experience with whey and casein protein powders! It’s also super familiar to our cells, so our body knows how to use collagen to help support all of the collagen-based structures (aka ligaments, cartilage, skin, etc) that are constantly being broken down and re-built throughout the day.

Although there are many types of collagen produced by our bodies, Type I and Type III are typically the ones used for collagen powders. Most companies I’ve researched follow the steps listed out here on TCI Co’s website:

• Demineralize extracted collagen (from either a marine, chicken, or beef source).
• Extract collagen to form gelatin.
• Enzymatic hydrolysis- to break down large amino acids into smaller ones that our bodies can digest.
• Filtration / ion exchange to remove impurities
• Evaporation
• Sterilization
• Drying

In comparison to other protein powders on the market, processing collagen is an overall very gentle process that doesn’t result in any crazy potentially harmful by-products!

How to Store Homemade Collagen Bars

I store these bars in either the refrigerator or freezer inside an air-tight container. They last the longest in the freezer, but its always nice to have a couple ready to go in the refrigerator without having to wait for them to defrost.

I also prefer to eat these collagen bars cold- they have the best texture when they are chilled! It might just be me, but I also feel like colder temperatures make the “almond-y” flavor pop more, which I personally LOVE!

How to Make Homemade Collagen Bars

Step 1: Add all of the ingredients (besides the mix-in’s) to a large mixing bowl. Stir very well until a thick, uniform dough forms. Then fold in the crushed freeze-dried strawberries and slivered almonds.

Step 2: Prepare a 9″x5″ loaf pan with parchment paper (Saran Wrap works too). Evenly press the almond butter mixture into the bottom of a loaf pan. Top with more crushed freeze-dried strawberries and slivered almonds.

Step. 3: Freeze for at least 2 hours before slicing into about 8 bars. Store in the freezer or refrigerator.

What You’ll Need:

More of My Favorite No-Bake Recipes

• Wired Peanut Butter Energy Bites
• Key Lime Cookies
• Caramel Almond Squares
• Paleo Lemon Blueberry Bites
• Paleo Red Velvet Truffles

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