Carrot Cake Protein Bars

I have veered away from the original, however, this is the recipe my boys love.  I make these in a 9x13 pan, cut them into bars, and freeze them, when cool.  They freeze really well, and thaw out by lunchtime!
Carrot Cake Protein Bars

Ingredients

Wet

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup mashed banana or ¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce (If you use banana, the recipe will be thicker, but both come out nicely, after baking.)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Dry

• ½ cup all purpose flour, or whole wheat flour (Using only whole wheat will make it drier, too.)
• ½ cup vanilla protein powder
• ¼ cup ground flax seed or chia seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp coarse salt
• pinch ground cloves

Add-ins

• ¾ cup shredded carrots
• ¼ cup dried cranberries or raisins
• OPTIONAL-I added unsweetened shredded coconut.  I had some in the house.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F and spray 9x13 pan
2. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl with a hand or stand mixer.
3.  Add dry ingredients to the wet mix and mix until smooth.
4. Add shredded carrots and cranberries (and coconut?).
5. Pour into pan, and make sure it is spread out evenly.
6. Bake bars for 22-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean, and the middle springs back, when you press it.
7. remove from the oven, and let cool completely, before cutting into bars.