Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Make Your Own Larabar Energy Bars!!

Have you ever had a Larabar?? I first tried one at a marathon expo, and I was hooked!! They are amazing, and only contain real ingredients, no weird preservatives or funky dyes. (Not that I would personally avoid such food. One of my favorite foods is Red Vines. Oh Red Vines, how I love you.)

...but they are expensive. So as I have been consuming more (since I have been watching <somewhat> what I eat and bars are an easy way to snack when I'm hungry without overdoing it) I decided to try and make some myself!! They are EXACTLY the same as the ones you buy.... wooooo hoooo!!!!!


I made the "Cashew Cookie" flavor. Don't they look pretty in my garden window?? I love my kitchen.


Here's what you need. It's really complicated. Get a pen and paper.
  • 1/2 cup Raw Cashews
  • 3/4 cup pitted Dates
  • Sea Salt (optional, but good)


First, coarsely chop the dates. You should sample a few, you know, just to do some quality control. Because you care.


Take the pits out first. What is the difference between a pit and a seed? Who knows such facts?


Now, I apologize, because I know your food processor is buried behind some other stuff, waaay in the back of the cabinet. But you're going to have to dig it out. Process the dates until they are like a ball of date paste. (I know that sounds gross, but it tastes really good in these bars, I promise)


Then chop up the cashews like this. Don't process them too long or they'll turn into cashew butter.


So then put the dates, cashews, and a pinch of the sea salt into a bowl. At this point, you need to goosh them together. I first used my hands and sort of kneaded them together.....


Then I got a great idea- to use a potato masher! It worked great!


Now you're going to use saran wrap (Oh, I guess I used "cling wrap" I like the thinner more clingy stuff) So you need to put a blob of the larabar stuff on the square of wrap. I made 3 large bars plus one snack-sized bar out of this recipe. You could totally just make the bars a bit smaller and make 4.


Then sort of wrap the cling wrap around it and shape it into a bar. Alternately, you could totally do little squares or balls if you wanted more of a snack size bar.


I tapped the edges on the counter to get them flat. Then put them in the fridge. (I plan on storing mine in the fridge, but you totally wouldn't have to. I just like the consistency of bars that have been in the fridge)


There you have it!! You've made your very own Cashew Cookie Larabars!!! Sweet!!




Seriously, don't they look good??

I am going to try and figure out how to make a few other flavors, and I will post those too!!

Edited to add a few links, since I have made more flavors since this post!



DINNER TONIGHT:
Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Watermelon
Sweet potato fries

15 comments:

  1. I will have to try to make these for Grant. He is doing Kettle Bells and riding his bike. I can't seem to keep him full. I love your blogs ♥

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  2. Steph I was thinking dried cherries and almonds would be a good combo! :)

    Thank you for always being such an encourager. I really value that. :)

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  3. okay...seriously, they DO look good!!!!! i love cashews!!!!! MMMMmmmMM!M!MM!M

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  4. The cashew cookie bars are my very favorite Lara Bars!! I'm so excited about this recipe! :)

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  5. Seriously, they have all the yummy flavor of store bought but they taste more fresh, and I LOVE that you can make smaller or larger ones! The cashew cookie is my fave too!!!

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  6. You ROCK! Thank you for posting this!! :*D

    I got addicted to Larabars because they didn't mess with my allergies. Even though they have hardly any ingredients (and Cashew Cookie is my fav!) it didn't even cross my mind to try to make them myself = GREAT inspiration, thank you!!

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  7. Ok, I heard you mention Lara bars at coffee this morning so when I happened to see them at Trader Joe's today, I bought 3 flavors. The kids and I tasted the Peanut Butter Cookie and the Apple Pie. (Still have the Cashew Cookie). We all liked them. Why not make my own?! I just needed you to tell me I could. Thanks! :)

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  8. misscindel- I am SO happy you like the recipe! Let me know how they trun out when you make them, I think they are AMAZING!!

    Mel- I've never had the PB cookie flavor..... THAT sounds like one I need to make...... did you see the ingredient list? They only have like 3 or 4 things in each bar, and they are all normal foods. That's what drew me to them when I was trying to eat healthier. :)

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  9. Oh man. I saw this recipe and thought... I think I finally want to buy a food processor. Well, Neil got me one for Mother's Day and I just made these today. They are amazing! The only thing different is I made them into little balls instead of squares. Thank you Shari! We're all enjoying them! Now, I need to buy a potato masher. :)

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  10. Oh good Sum I'm glad you made them!! So how many litle balls did the recipe make? I love that my kids like these, I always throw one in my purse in case anyone gets hungry. :)

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  11. I was just reminded of this post while looking at another one. Question: do they stick together pretty well like Larabars? I want to make a bar that doesn't fall apart and get crumbs everyone. This doesn't seem like it would but just wanted to see. :)

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  12. They totally do Wendy! They are actually quite sticky at first, the dates bind them and make them super moist and they are almost identical to Larabars. :)

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  13. they are yummy and a good switch from the processed bars off the grocery store shelf! I have been experimenting and making different kinds but this is my fav recipe. thank you!!!

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  14. Maam.wats the pro/carb content of larabars please

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