I do believe I owe you a recipe. I had originally planned on posting this in the AM but I didn't get the chance before I headed to work. But I'm about to make up for it! :o)
The recipe that follows was my entry into last week's Blogger Secret Ingredient challenge (lemon). I decided to create a bit of a Larabar "knockoff" inspired by my favourite Larabar - Key Lime Pie. Yummers!
For the recipe I used lemons but you could use lime instead. I have to say the end result was a very accurate reproduction. Cheap? Yes! Yummy? Yes! Will I make them again? You Bet!
Lemon Power Bars/Balls
The Cast of Characters
1 cup - chopped dates
2/3 cup - cashews
3/4 cup - unsweetened shredded coconut
1 - lemon
1) Take dates (I suggest using medjool dates) and remove their seeds.
Chop them up with a knife until you have a cup full.
2) Grind cashews in a food processor until they resemble coarse
crumbs. Plase dates cashews in a mixing bowl.
3) In the same food processor (no need to wash), process the dates
until they form a paste.
4) Add date paste to the cashew mixture. Also add the coconut.
5) Take your lemon and zest it, adding the zest to the mixing bowl.
Then cut your lemon and squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon to the
mixture.
6) Roll up your sleeves and mix all the ingredients by hand until they
come together.
(It's messy but oh so worth it - btw if you find that the mixture is too wet for your taste feel free to add a bit more coconut)
7) At this point you can cut four pieces of saran wrap and shape the
mixture into four large bars. Wrap the bars and refrigerate. The
mixture will harden and the flavours will deepen.
8) Alternatively you can shape the mixture into small donut hole sized balls.
This recipe yields four good sized bars or 12-16 power balls. I'm partial to the little balls themselves - the perfect size for snacking or pre-workout fuel!
If you refrigerate these goodies overnight the flavours will deepen and make it perfectly yummy.
Enjoy bloggies!!! :o)
1 cup - chopped dates
2/3 cup - cashews
3/4 cup - unsweetened shredded coconut
1 - lemon
1) Take dates (I suggest using medjool dates) and remove their seeds.
Chop them up with a knife until you have a cup full.
2) Grind cashews in a food processor until they resemble coarse
crumbs. Plase dates cashews in a mixing bowl.
3) In the same food processor (no need to wash), process the dates
until they form a paste.
4) Add date paste to the cashew mixture. Also add the coconut.
5) Take your lemon and zest it, adding the zest to the mixing bowl.
Then cut your lemon and squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon to the
mixture.
6) Roll up your sleeves and mix all the ingredients by hand until they
come together.
(It's messy but oh so worth it - btw if you find that the mixture is too wet for your taste feel free to add a bit more coconut)7) At this point you can cut four pieces of saran wrap and shape the
mixture into four large bars. Wrap the bars and refrigerate. The
mixture will harden and the flavours will deepen.
8) Alternatively you can shape the mixture into small donut hole sized balls.
This recipe yields four good sized bars or 12-16 power balls. I'm partial to the little balls themselves - the perfect size for snacking or pre-workout fuel!
If you refrigerate these goodies overnight the flavours will deepen and make it perfectly yummy.
Enjoy bloggies!!! :o)
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17 comments:
Those look wonderful...I am bookmarking this and hopefully trying it once dates are on sale.
Run Sarah,
Yeah that's the one sucky thing about eating raw. It often calls for things like dates and they can be pricey.
I hear that you can buy them at Costco! I buy the big packs at the grocery store - they cost me about $12 but last quite a while.
Man, if Costco had my dates when I was there last, I could totally make these! Alas, I am dateless. But they do look yummy. I like the idea of little snacking balls :)
They look GREAT! Probably cheaper than a LaraBar as well??
Do you know the nutritional info?
I need to get a food processor before I can make these, unfortunately.
Leah
I was just wishing the other day I had a lemon treat to make -- I have lots of chocolate/date bars, but I love lemony things too!
Thanks for this recipe!
Marianne,
Boo for a lack of dates at Costco! :o( Out of curiousity - how much do they cost there?
Leah,
I will have to sit down and calculate nutritional info. I suspect that as with most bars you shouldn't over-indulge because they will be somewhat calorie dense. That's part of the reason I prefer the balls.
And yup - at least for me it worked out cheaper! But it would all depend on the price of ingredients where you live.
Elizabeth,
You're most welcome! :o)
You're such a creative cook. Do you get you're receives from something or just make them up as you go along?
Thanks Jocelyn! :o)
For the most part they just come out of nowhere! lol
You see I had made other things with dates and I figured I could come up with a way to do these too. I looked at the ingredients on the Larabar and then played around until I got this.
Actually, this whole blogging thing is great because I'm writing things down. For years I would come up with things but would never keep a record of them! :o)
Jocelyn,
Sometimes I adapt recipes too though. That's probably the easiest when turning baked goods into something healthier!
Thats impressive...You know if you are bored you are more than welcome to come cook for me :) hahaha
Jocelyn,
lol If I ever find myself in the Bronx we'll have to get together and cook! :oP Maybe even "run" together at our special pace! AHAHAHHA!
Oh wow, I totally want to try this. I need to get some dates next time I'm at Costco... and that will be WHEN I'M BACK HOME FOR THE SUMMER!!! YAHH. can you tell I miss home? lol. =D
YUM!!!!! Those look fab :)
Sharon,
lol Just a little bit longer!!! :o)
Mara,
I hope you enjoy them!
oh! im so excited! ive been looking for a recipe for the buttloads of dates i have! thanks :)
Yum, sound delish. I'll have to try this one!
Julie,
lol That comment cracked me up! Have fun with it!
That Pink Girl,
I was quite pleased with how it turned out - hopefully you will love them too! :o)
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