Chocolate and peanut butter collide in culinary perfection to create this healthy, snackable Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Protein Bark made with Lifeway Farmer Cheese. Peanut butter is a well-known source of natural plant protein, but it’s still no comparison to our creamy farmer cheese containing all the essential amino acids your body needs.
Unlike strong-flavored cheese varieties, Lifeway Farmer Cheese is mild in texture and smooth like yogurt, but it comes with more protein and less lactose since it’s cultured with live and active probiotic cultures. It’s a terrific ingredient to use in protein barks like this one where we combine it with creamy chocolate, rich peanut butter, sweet honey, and real peanuts.
Our Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Protein Bark is simple to prepare and is easy to pull out of the fridge or freezer when you want to enjoy it as a healthy snack or post-dinner treat. Unlike sugary chocolate and candies that leave you hungry and sluggish hours later, this protein bark recipe keeps you feeling great for hours after since it’s made with natural ingredients. Chocolate and peanut butter used in this recipe are two top sources of magnesium, an important mineral that supports a sense of calm, collected energy. Additionally, magnesium is important for healthy bones and muscles, just like the calcium found in our farmer cheese.
High-protein foods like Lifeway Farmer Cheese and peanut butter help keep you full in between meals, they stabilize blood sugar levels, and they’re important for healthy muscle support, energy and focus, and an array of metabolic functions to keep you feeling your best. Find out more about the benefits of Lifeway Farmer Cheese here.
So while healthy eating may sound boring, snacks and desserts like this protein bark make nourishing your body and enjoying every bite in the process easier than ever. Get the recipe below to give it a try!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese, a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: 15 minutes + freezing time Servings: 15-20 piecesIngredients
- 2 cups Farmer Cheese
- 4 tbsp. raw honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract/flavoring
- 4 tbsp. natural, organic peanut butter
- 4 tbsp. dark chocolate chips, melted
- 4 tbsp. crushed peanuts (unsalted or salted, you choose)
- optional: low-sugar granola of choice (We love Purely Elizabeth brand.)
Directions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, optimally one that's 9x13 inches in size. If your freezer is a side by side, you'll want to use two small baking sheet pans to make sure they will fit. Be sure you clear a space in the freezer so the bark can set. Set the pan/pans aside.
- In a blender or food processor, blend together Lifeway Farmer Cheese, honey or maple syrup, vanilla, and peanut butter until smooth.
- Pour mixture onto the prepared rimmed baking sheet line with parchment paper, and spread the mixture evenly using a spatula or spoon into a rectangular shape. You want the bark to be about a ¼ of an inch thick.
- Melt your chocolate chips, and add dollops of the chocolate in 1 tsp. size amounts onto the prepared bark mixture on the baking sheet. Take a smooth-edged knife like a butter knife, or use a spoon, and gently swirl it around to mix in the chocolate so it's decorated as shown.
- Sprinkle crushed peanuts on top, then add low sugar granola pieces if you're using it.
- Carefully place this on a shelf in your freezer for at least 3-4 hours making sure it's even. It helps to place it flat. Remove, carefully snap the bark into pieces with your hands, or score with a smooth-edged knife (gently).
- Enjoy right away, or keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can keep it in the fridge after it freezes completely, but try to enjoy it within 48-72 hours if doing so for the best texture.
