Step 1

Line an 8-inch square baking pan or standard 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.

Step 2

Place the oats in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until ground into a flour. Add the protein powder, dates, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, 1/4 cup milk and (optional) melted unsweetened chocolate.

Step 3

Process until the mixture is well-combined and is tacky (but not sticky) to the touch. Add more milk by the teaspoonful and process, only as necessary for the mixture to reach the proper consistency.

Step 4

If you opt not to use the melted unsweetened chocolate, you will have to add more milk, and the bars will not hold together as firmly when shaped.

Step 5

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer, smoothing the top as much as possible.

Step 6

Cover with parchment and place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill until firm (about 1 hour in the refrigerator, or 20 minutes in the freezer). Remove the bars from the pan and slice into 10 or 12 equal-sized rectangular bars.

Step 7

Dip in the optional melted bittersweet chocolate to coat and allow to sit at room temperature until set.

Step 8

Wrap the bars individually in waxed paper, and store in the refrigerator.

Step 9

Place the oats in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until ground into a flour. Add the protein powder, cocoa powder (or more protein powder), nut butter, maple syrup, salt, 1/4 cup milk and melted unsweetened chocolate (or more nut butter and maple syrup).

Step 10

Process until the mixture is well-combined and is tacky (but not sticky) to the touch. Add more milk by the teaspoonful and process, only as necessary for the mixture to reach the proper consistency.

Step 11

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer, smoothing the top as much as possible.

Step 12

Cover with parchment and place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill until firm (about 1 hour in the refrigerator, or 20 minutes in the freezer). Remove the bars from the pan and slice into 10 or 12 equal-sized rectangular bars.

Step 13

Dip in the optional melted bittersweet chocolate to coat or simply drizzle some melted chocolate over the top, and allow to sit at room temperature until set.

Step 14

Wrap the bars individually in waxed paper, and store in the refrigerator.