diff --git a/api/handlers/v1/auth.go b/api/handlers/v1/auth.go
index a51f8c2..86a7828 100644
--- a/api/handlers/v1/auth.go
+++ b/api/handlers/v1/auth.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package v1
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"go-cook/api/models"
 	"go-cook/api/repositories"
 	"net/http"
@@ -10,6 +11,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/labstack/echo/v4"
 )
 
+const (
+	ErrJwtMissing       = "auth token is missing"
+	ErrJwtClaimsMissing = "claims missing on token"
+	ErrJwtExpired       = "auth token has expired"
+)
+
 type JwtToken struct {
 	Exp        time.Time `json:"exp"`
 	Authorized bool      `json:"authorized"`
@@ -45,8 +52,8 @@ func (h *Handler) AuthRegister(c echo.Context) error {
 		if err.Error() != repositories.ErrUserNotFound {
 			return c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, models.ErrorResponse{
 				HttpCode: http.StatusInternalServerError,
-				Message: err.Error(),
-			})	
+				Message:  err.Error(),
+			})
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -55,7 +62,7 @@ func (h *Handler) AuthRegister(c echo.Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, models.ErrorResponse{
 			HttpCode: http.StatusInternalServerError,
-			Message: err.Error(),
+			Message:  err.Error(),
 		})
 	}
 
@@ -63,7 +70,7 @@ func (h *Handler) AuthRegister(c echo.Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, models.ErrorResponse{
 			HttpCode: http.StatusInternalServerError,
-			Message: err.Error(),
+			Message:  err.Error(),
 		})
 	}
 
@@ -73,7 +80,7 @@ func (h *Handler) AuthRegister(c echo.Context) error {
 func (h *Handler) AuthLogin(c echo.Context) error {
 	username := c.QueryParam("username")
 	password := c.QueryParam("password")
-	
+
 	// check if the user exists
 	err := h.UserService.DoesUserExist(username)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -97,3 +104,25 @@ func (h *Handler) AuthLogin(c echo.Context) error {
 func (h *Handler) RefreshJwtToken(c echo.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (h *Handler) getJwtToken(c echo.Context) (JwtToken, error) {
+	// Make sure that the request came with a jwtToken
+	token, ok := c.Get("user").(*jwt.Token)
+	if !ok {
+		return JwtToken{}, errors.New(ErrJwtMissing)
+	}
+
+	// Generate the claims from the token
+	claims, ok := token.Claims.(*JwtToken)
+	if !ok {
+		return JwtToken{}, errors.New(ErrJwtClaimsMissing)
+	}
+
+	// Check to see if the token has expired
+	hasExpired := claims.Exp.Compare(time.Now())
+	if hasExpired == -1 {
+		return JwtToken{}, errors.New(ErrJwtExpired)
+	}
+
+	return *claims, nil
+}
diff --git a/api/handlers/v1/demo.go b/api/handlers/v1/demo.go
index e1895a0..597cb6f 100644
--- a/api/handlers/v1/demo.go
+++ b/api/handlers/v1/demo.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package v1
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"go-cook/api/models"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"github.com/labstack/echo/v4"
@@ -49,5 +50,13 @@ func (h *Handler) HelloBody(c echo.Context) error {
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) ProtectedRoute(c echo.Context) error {
-	return c.JSON(http.StatusOK, "You have a good bearer token!")
+	token, err := h.getJwtToken(c)
+	if err != nil {
+		return c.JSON(http.StatusForbidden, models.ErrorResponse{
+			HttpCode: http.StatusForbidden,
+			Message:  err.Error(),
+		})
+	}
+
+	return c.JSON(http.StatusOK, token)
 }