Chrisabars

I originally called this post, "Homemade Larabars" but then I remembered the resistence by certain family members not to call them this as my name is not Lara and, really, Larabars bears no significance on the actualy ingredients, so why not make up a name?  Consequently, in a bout of ingenuity, Chrisabars was the name that was suggested and I'm trying my darndest to make it stick. 

These bars are actually different from the ones I shared with my family a few weeks ago.  Those ones were amazing, but for them I had followed a recipe exactly from Homemakers magazine (recipe at the bottom).  My only complaint about them is that they are very messy.  My food processor is not leak-proof and so everytime I make them, the orange juice drips everywhere--and I have a very large (12cup) processor!  For the Chrisabars, I made up the recipe--in fact, I don't even have precise measurements.  But that's the beauty of these bars, the room for creativity and personal preferences.  The measurements below are approximate.  Add more dates or walnuts as needed to get the consistency you like.  Feel free to add more or less coconut or extract as desired too.  My only suggestion is to use honey dates, as I've indicated in the recipe.  They puree much more easily than regular dates--your food processor will thank you! 

Once you have tried this recipe, or the one from Homemakers, feel free to get creative and find your favourite flavour!

COCONUT CHRISABARS

1 1/2 c. honey dates
1 1/2 c. unsulphured dried apricots, soaked for a bit in boiling water
3/4 c. walnut halves
1/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2-1 tsp coconut extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well blended and chopped, then turn on processor and let it all blend together until a nice paste is formed.  Scrape into a parchment lined 8-inch square pan.  Bake in oven for 1.5 hours to dry out slightly and set.  Cool completely.  Cut into squares to eat.


DATE WALNUT ENERGY BARS (from Homemakers magazine, February/March 2011)

750g (1.5 lb) pitted dates
1 orange rind, finely grated
1/2 c (125mL) orange juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 cups walnut halves

In a food processor, puree dates, orange rind, juice and salt.  Add 2 cups of the walnuts and pulse until finely chopped.  (If food processor has a small bowl, do this in batches to avoid a mess).  Add remaining walnuts and pulse until coarsely chopped with some larger pieces remaining. Scrape mixture into parchement paper lined 9-ince baking pan; smooth top.  Bake in centre of 200 degree oven until no longer sticky and fairly dry, approximately 3 hours.  Let cool completely.  With moistened knife, cut into bars.