Coconut Lemon Lara Bars

Pictured here on my 'Rosie the Riveter" lunch box, this is a twist on my 'Cocoa Babies' Lara Bar recipe.  It's another sugar-free, nutrient-dense treat or power bar, loaded with good fats, tons of protein, and lots of fiber.

Remember that "Not only do [cashews] lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but they help to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Cashews have one of the lowest overall fat contents of all of the common nuts and are a good source of oleic acid, the same fatty acid that makes olive oil so heart healthy.  Studies have shown that people who eat nuts on a daily basis are less likely to gain weight and have a tendency to be thinner, on average, than those who don't. It may be that eating nuts like cashews is so filling that it reduces overall calorie consumption."1  They are also a great source of magnesium, antioxidants, and much needed copper.

Coconut, as well as coconut oil,  has amazing health properties- too many to list here, so read up about it on this site.

Lemons not only have high levels of potassium, vitamins A and C, they are acidic, which turns alkaline in the body and then fights acidosis.

Here's how to make them.  (Recipe found here) Blend the following ingredients in a food processor or blender:

1 cup cashews

1 1/2 cup pitted dates

dash of salt

zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbl of lemon juice

1/2 cup coconut

Adjust any ingredients to taste or consistency desire. 

Spread in a 9X9 pan and then cut into squares, or roll them into balls, or do what I do, put on some plastic wrap, mold into a long line and then cut into 1 inch pieces.

Optional:  Add 1 Tbl of chia seeds to your 'dough' to get more electrolytes than Gatorade out of your snack.

 *I soaked my dates in water for 1/2 hour first (then drained) to get a softer dough this time.  They came out a little too soft, so I blended up some almonds and rolled them  in the almond dust at the end of making so they'd be easier to pick up and pack in lunches.

Cocoa -Babies (Peanut Butter Chocolate Laura Bars)

Want to be sugar-free with  me this year?  I think we should try!  Thanks to Green Smoothie Girl's reminder, I've been saying(...to myself...not out loud,)  "I love my body, it serves me well."  When we love our body we will treat it with respect.  Which means not abusing it by eating junk and then feeling horrible, physically and emotionally about it, and then repeating the abusive cycle.  I'm not talking about being crazy and extreme (your not going to offend your Grandma by not eating a piece of her homemade apple pie she hands you, right?) But other than acting 'normal' in such instances, I don't think you can ever be too healthy.

In light of my sugar-free goal was looking up how to make your own lara bars (they are made of dates and cashews, with some variances on that basic formula) and found a ton of recipes.  A perfect sugar-free, sweet and delicious treat.  I based this recipe off this one here.  She has tons of variations, so get with it!

This tastes a bit like chocolate peanut butter cookie dough.

1 cup dates

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup cashews

2 Tbl cocoa

1 Tbl dried cranberries

dash of salt

Blend (in a food processor or blender) and adjust any ingredients to taste or consistency desire.  I made these ones pretty stiff so they'd pack easy to work, workouts, and school lunch.

I put my dough on some plastic wrap, smooshed it into a long roll, let it sit in the fridge for a few minutes until a little firm, then cut into 1 inch pieces.  *These don't need to be stored in the fridge.

Optional:  Add 1 Tbl of chia seeds to your 'dough' to get more electrolytes than Gatorade out of your snack.