Today in the kitchen: homemade Lara type bars

I am not a breakfast person. Don't get me wrong, I love breakfast foods, and eat them any time of the day, I just don't like to eat in the morning. I know, I know, science and research says we should eat in the morning to get our metabolisms going, to feel more refreshed, blah di blah di blah. I don't like the rules of eating, the annoy me. I am well accustomed to them, being a nurse I had to study nutrition, and what ever I didn't learn there, I found on my own time poring over articles of health and fitness. I don't like to eat when I am not hungry, and therefore, I don't. On an average day I get hungry at about 10am, which is not really conducive to the whole 'breakfast of champions' thought, as I am chasing around a four year old trying to get her to put some clothes on. I used to be able to hold myself over with a piece of fruit, but it doesn't cut it anymore, I get hungry about 40 minutes later. I started implementing these little meal bars into my dietary line up, but as a frugal individual I shudder at paying $1.50-$2 for a food bar. So tapping into my inner chef I made some instead, the first bars are the 'cashew cookie' standby. It's a good for you breakfast/snack bar. The variation recipe I am going to include is AMAZING. seriously. I was licking the food processor blade making sure to get every last remnant of this stuff. I don't really have a bar I made them after, just a concoction from my noggin of ingredients I love, so I will call them toasted coconut double chocolate bars. Enjoy!

Cashew cookie:

1/4 c dates
1/4 c raisins
1/3 c cashews
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Seriously, that's it. Run it through the food processor till you have a meal consistency, press into a small dish, or make into balls.




I stick them in the freezer to harden them, then wrap 'em up. Makes about 2 regular sized bars, I am a small eater, so I make them into four mini bars, and I am good with one.


Variation:

Toasted coconut double chocolate bars

(slap your grandma good)

1/4 c raisins
1/3 c dates
1/4 c toasted coconut
1/2 c toasted nuts (I used half almonds, half pecans)
2 T cocoa
A few drops of almond extract (this makes them awesome, don't leave it out!)
1/4 white chocolate chips


Put all ingredients sans the extract and chips. Process till you get the meal, add the extract and white chocolate, process a bit more, press into a larger dish. Freeze. Don't cut your tongue licking the blade....