Bacio and Macardalm Bars

These bars are alot like Lara bars and easy to adapt to whatever flavors you like and what you have in your pantry.  I adapted these recipes from http://minimalistbaker.com/chocolate-hazelnut-no-bake-cookies/

Both recipes can be easily doubled.

Bacio Bars (in honor of Jora who I imagine to be eating Bacio Gelato on a daily basis!)

1 cup hazelnut meal
1 cup dates (soaked if necessary to soften)
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 tsp good quality salt
2 oz chopped dark chocolate
1 oz raw cacoa nibs
can add 1/8 tsp scant espresso powder
can add a dash of cinnamon or other spices
can add whole nuts at the end if you want some chunks

Add dates to a food processor and pulse until small bits remain.

Add cocoa powder, salt, chopped chocolate, espresso and spices if using.  Mix until well incorporated.

Add more dates while mixing if necessary if mixture is too dry.  You know it is the right texture when you gather a bit in your fingers and it easily forms a ball.

Add cocoa nibs and whole nuts if using and pulse briefly to give some crunch to your bar.

Press into a small flat pan with your fingers or roll with a rolling pin, or flatten with another pan of equal size.  Cut into bars.  Can be refrigerated or wrapped individually and frozen.  Enjoy!


Macardalm Bars (My funny, made-up name for Macadamia, Cardamom, and Almond Bars)

9 mejdool dates
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw Macadamia nuts
3/4 tsp good quality salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp or more Cardamom
can add whole nuts at the end if you want some chunks 

Add dates to a food processor and pulse until small bits remain.

Add nuts, salt, vanilla, and cardamom.  Mix until well incorporated.

Add more dates while mixing if necessary if mixture is too dry.  You know it is the right texture when you gather a bit in your fingers and it easily forms a ball.

Adjust seasonings as necessary.  Can add more nuts and pulse briefly if you wants some crunch.

Press into a small flat pan with your fingers or roll with a rolling pin, or flatten with another pan of equal size.  Cut into bars.  Can be refrigerated or wrapped individually and frozen.  Enjoy!

Nut Butter

Nut Butter from lyann kemal on Vimeo.

NUT BUTTER

makes 4 

14oz(2boxes)       mix nuts, salted and roasted

1/2 cup                  sunflowers

1/4 cup                  chia seeds

1/4 cup                  flax seeds, whole

• In a food processor add all nuts and sunflower seeds.
• Blend till it looks like fine sand. Scrape sides of bowl and don't forget the bottom.
• Blend again until the mixture is forming a ball. Stop and scrape again. 
• Turn on processor till the butter starts to break down and looks like peanut butter. 
• NOTE: your butter will start to heat and smoke, stop machine, scrape the sides, give the machine a little break. 
• Once it is the consistence you like add the chia and flax seeds. Mix till the seeds are combined. 
• Add to jar(s). 

A recipe: When I make nut butter I usually make these pancakes for the family. 

Coconut Dulce de Leche

I used this recipe on Bon Appétit with a couple of tweaks. I haven't been able to taste it yet because I have been on a month long cleanse. I hear it's good.

Coconut Dulce de Leche
2 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk ( I like Whole Foods Brand )
1 ¼ cups organic coconut sugar
½-⅔ t coarse kosher salt ( I used Maldon )

Whisk coconut milk, sugar, and coarse salt in heavy large skillet over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until mixture is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer sauce to small jars. Cool completely, then cover sauce and chill. Can be made 1 month ahead. Keep chilled.

image via: the lovely blake

Lemon Ginger Dressing + More...

Lemon-Ginger dressing 
1/4 C olive oil
1 lemon, juice
1 tsp lemon zest or 1 inch slice lemon skin

1 carrot or bell pepper (optional)
2 Tb nama shoyu (or tamari, shoyu)

1 inch piece of ginger
1 garlic clove
1/2 - 3/4 C raw cashews (depending on how thick you'd like your dressing)
1/2 C water
1 Tb Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt

-Blend all ingredients together in a high powered blender such as a Vitamix. Salt more to preference.  Delicious on everything - grains, salads, any veggie, etc.  Wonderful on a kale salad with mango, red bell, and grated carrot.

Pickled Radishes: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pickled-Radishes-366455

Strawberry Fruit Leathers: I follow this recipe but keep the strawberry seeds.  I did 5 pints of berries + 2 TB honey and that was plenty sweet for my kids: http://comfybelly.com/2012/05/berry-fruit-roll-ups/#.UWXzIqKopLf

Anytime Bars

Again, a concept recipe....my favorite.  So easy and nutritious and great to pop into the lunchbox!  These come out crunchy/chewy/sticky depending on how long and hot you boil the sweetener.  If they are too sticky, just keep them in the fridge.  The rice crispies make them...well...crispy!  You could try another cereal too.  Customize these bars however you like.  Next time I plan to add some spices to them - cardamom and coriander maybe?  Cinnamon is always a pleaser!  Try some cayenne for a little kick.  To make it more Lara Bar-like, you would swap dates for the sweetener, leave out the rice crispies, throw everything into the Vitamix and voila!

These were adapted from a recipe here - http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/glutenfreesnackrecipes/r/glutenfreeenergybars.htm

Anytime Bars
- 1 cup nut butter
- 1 cup liquid sweetener (I like rice syrup and maple syrup.  Honey is also good.  When I used agave they were super-sweet!)
- 1 1/2 cups or more nuts and/or seeds (almonds, pecans, walnuts, macs, brazils, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, etc.)  I used brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.
- 1 cup unsulphured dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, blueberries, apricots, pineapple, coconut, Elizabeth's homemade raisins, figs, etc.)  I used tart fruit such as cherries, cranberries, and then a few blueberries for variety.
- 2-4 cups GF brown rice crispy cereal.  I used unsweetened Erewhon Organic Crispie Brown Rice.
- 1/2 teaspoon or more salt - to your taste (I like a little hint of salt in my sweet treats.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- spices if you like

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pulse nuts and seeds in a food processor to coarsely chop.

Pulse dried fruit in a food processor to coarsely chop.

In a LARGE pot, heat liquid sweetener over medium low heat until boiling.  Stir often to prevent scorching and to keep the heat evenly distributed.

Stir in nut butter and heat until it bubbles.  Cook for about 1 more minute.

Stir in salt and vanilla.

Use a large spatula to mix in nuts, dried fruit and cereal.  Coat all ingredients well.

Scrape mixture on to the parchment line baking sheet.  Place a piece of parchment paper over the top and press down.  Use a rolling pin to smooth the top of the mixture and spread it evenly on the sheet using the sides of the baking sheet to help you get an even thickness to the bar.  Shape the sides if you like.

Place covered in refrigerator for about 2 hours before cutting.  Wrap each bar and store in a covered container in the fridge.

Enjoy!