Date Bars (an LSCDL recipe)

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Homemade Date Bars (an LSCDL recipe)

Dates are the " glue " which holds the dry

ingredients for your bar together. You need a ratio of about one part

dates to three parts " other " -- chopped nuts, unsweetened

shredded coconut, etc. You can include other dried fruits, like

unsweetened dried cherries as part of your mixture.

Pit and chop the dates. You may either whirl them in a food processor, or

mash by hand (a stick blender works, too, but requires some care) until

you have one solid, fairly smooth-textured mass.

Add the non-date ingredients and mix by hand until they are even

distributed. If you want chunks of these in your bar, and you are using a

food processor, you should remove the date mixture from the food

processor and mix in the dry ingredients by hand.

When the dry ingredients are evenly distributed, gather the mixture up to

form a (very sticky) ball, roll it out into a rectangle, and then pat it

flat, on plastic wrap. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Using a cutting board, apply pressure to the top of the wrapped date

mixture to make it evenly flat on top and bottom. Two large knives or

sturdy spatulas may be applied to the sides to flatten them. Open the

wrap, and, using a very sharp knife, cut into desired size bars. 8 large

Medjool dates, plus 3/4 cup dry ingredients typically yields 4

bars.

Wrap bars in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Note: these do not have to be

kept refrigerated if you are carrying them for a day or two, but because

they are not vacuum-sealed, it is recommended to refrigerate them if they

will not be eaten in a day or two. The need for refrigeration seldom

occurs.

Here is one combination I like:

8 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Here is another:

8 Medjool dates, chopped and pitted

1/4 cup dried sweet cherries (no sugar added) (blend in with the

dates)

1/4 cup dried tart cherries (no sugar added) (blend in with the

dates)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Notes:

The amount of dates you use can depend on how soft they are and what size

they are. Kind of like, pick your filling and then add dates until

it looks right.

If I know I'm going to be making a bunch of bars, I'll go ahead and do

all of the dates in the food processor, or in a bowl with the hand

blender, then divide the mashed dates up and add the rest of the

ingredients -- say, one batch cherry-cinnamon, one batch almond-vanilla,

one batch apple-ginger, and so forth.

One interesting note: although some flavors of Larabars are nominally

legal, I find that if I eat them several days in a row, I may have

issues. But my homemade bars don't give me the problem. It may be the

spices -- they tend to put quite a few spices in the commercial

bars.

I have other flavors of bars, but they tend to be whatever I feel like

throwing in today. If a specific type is desired, let me know -- I

probably have it jotted down somewhere.

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund