I have been working for years to create my own health food bar that I actually want to eat. It isn’t a new concept to want a bar that focuses on only natural ingredients, but it is far too common to see “healthy” bars with endless lists of ingredients that are unpronounceable. Don’t get me wrong, I do buy and eat some of those bars, but they leave me wondering if there is a better alternative. So, I’ve decided to get back to the basics. And by basics, I mean bear-bones, stripped down fruits and nuts. It’s a bar concept that is dominated by Larabar, but can be recreated and pushed far past the flavors they offer in stores. I am, by no means, finished developing my own version of the “perfect” bar, but I’ll definitely share some of the creations I’ve made along the way. And trust me, they are all very yummy!
I started with my own version of the most simple bar. Larabar has a “cashew cookie” bar that contains only two ingredients: cashews and dates. I decided to use pistachios, though, because I love that they have a salty bite and a unique flavor. Here’s a huge plus too: your store-bought Larabar is about 48g, where mine are 50, and there’s left overs…which means you can make either bigger bars, or make what I call a Jr. Buddy! A Jr. Buddy is the perfect little snack 🙂 I’ve already made several homemade bars (which I so fondly refer to at home as Buddy Bars, or Buddies) in interesting flavors that I will share, but we shall start here.
