I learned a few things while doing my cleanse.  Specifically, a) YAY!  I can go without coffee for 21 days and won’t turn into a monster b) I feel really good when I eat a most of my daily calories from veggies, and c) although taking a photo of them is difficult– making homemade LARABARS are too easy.

Seriously though, I usually rely on Larabars for a quick snack, a lunch box throw in or a dessert replacement.  But, at $1.50-$2.00 a pop, our grocery bill was skyrocketing and I didn’t even feel like I was buying “real” food–mostly just snacky things.

Reading the ingredients on a Larabar, you can tell there is very little that goes into these things and Lara, the inventor of the bars started off by making them in her food processor.

“I can do that!”, I thought and began some internet research.

This recipe is a result of a mix mash of various recipes that I found plus by own take on them.  Really though, you basically start with dates and some sort of nuts–process and then add some yummies in and the possibilities are endless–peanut butter, dried cherries, cranberries, oatmeal, mint extract, cocoa–I could go on and on.

Make some!  Tell me about them…..

Homemade Chocolate Chip Larabars

Homemade Chocolate Chip Larabars

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Ingredients

• 2/3 cups dates
• 1 cup cashews (raw)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 heaped tablespoons vegan chocolate chips (or, mini chocolate chips)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (for sprinkling)

Directions

1	Prepare an 8×8 baking dish or a 9x 13 baking dish by laying down parchment paper in the bottom, leaving some parchment for overhang. If you want thick bars (like you can buy in the store), use the smaller pan.
2	Add cashews and dates to a food processor and blend until they are well combined.
3	Add the rest of the ingredients. Process well. The mixture will be sticky.
4	Press the mixture into the pan. Sprinkle a little kosher salt on the top for a nice sweet and salty combo.
5	Refrigerate covered for about a half an hour before trying to cut them.
6	Store covered in the fridge for up to one week. (They will likely still taste good after that but the texture gets a bit crumbly.)

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