Healthy eating and fueling your body are important aspects of fitness.  Each month, we'll include a kid-friendly protein-packed recipe to help fuel your family!  This month, Laura Fuentes, Chief Mom @MOMables and expert in family-friendly food, brings us The Ultimate Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars - packed with energy and deliciousness!

When my kids go play at a neighbor’s house and snack time comes around, they are usually given something that must be “unwrapped” and comes from a box in the pantry.  At our house, kids that come over get whatever I’ve baked for the week; a combination of coffee cake, fresh baked bread, oatmeal breakfast cookies, or the crowd favorite: ultimate peanut butter & jelly bars.  These are great for after soccer practice, play dates, and a homemade treat.  The added protein powder and flax seed are optional but it will make your bars the most delicious protein square you’ll ever have.  These are not “guilt” free but they are made with wholesome ingredients and not a mile long list of stuff you can’t pronounce, so bear with me.

Ingredients:
•    1 cup butter, softened, plus more for preparing pan
•    3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing pan
•    ¼ cup finely ground flax seed (optional)
•    ¼ cup vanilla protein powder (optional)
•    2 Tablespoons water (only if adding protein powder)
•    1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
•    2 large eggs
•    2 & 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
•    1 teaspoons salt
•    2 teaspoons baking powder
•    2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•    1 & 1/2 cups strawberry jam (or other flavor, I use seedless raspberry jam)
•    ¾ cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional, not pictured)
Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9″x 13″baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
2.    Beat butter and sugar together on medium speed of an electric mixer. Mix for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Add eggs and peanut butter, and beat about 2 minutes or until combined.
3.    In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, ground flax (optional), protein powder + water (optional) and baking powder. Add to butter mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add vanilla and mix.
4.    Transfer two-thirds of dough to pan and spread evenly. Spread jam on top of dough. Crumble remaining dough on top of jam. Sprinkle with peanuts (optional).
5.    Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until golden. Rotate pan half-way through baking. Tent loosely with foil if bars are getting too dark.
6.    Cool on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edges to loosen. Refrigerate 1-2 hours. Cut into bars or squares and store in an airtight container at room temperature.