MMMMMMMMm here's a new recipe, I know they come few and far between now that my staples had all been posted. I had a few veggies that I needed to use quickly so I decided to cook them all together in the pressure cooker.
1/4 of a banana squash
2 sweet potatoes
4 russet potatoes
1/2 onion
few cloves garlic
2 cups water
all in the pressure cooker, or however you do it
When they were soft I just put them all in the vitamix in 2 batches plus enough water to get it to the right consistency.
Served with salt and pepper and 1 tsp of pie type spices mixed in, then on top went homemade croutons, craisins, and slivered almonds. So super good and everyone loved it. Andrew even drank some in a cup (thinned down and extra fixins went on the side)
Showing posts with label lunch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lunch. Show all posts
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Monday, August 23, 2010
New websites for lunches
http://www.freshforkids.com.au/lunch_box/lunch_box.html
http://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/
Someone just mentioned that in Australia it's against the law to send unhealthy lunches to school. I don't know the truth of that or who defines what "healthy" is but nevertheless, I really liked these websites. Toward the end of the Fresh for Kids website there are 3 booklets to download that have a lot of great ideas and pictures.
http://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/
Someone just mentioned that in Australia it's against the law to send unhealthy lunches to school. I don't know the truth of that or who defines what "healthy" is but nevertheless, I really liked these websites. Toward the end of the Fresh for Kids website there are 3 booklets to download that have a lot of great ideas and pictures.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Packing School Lunches
I just responded on a list and decided I'd throw this on here also.
One of the biggest things we've figured out is that equipment really helps. As
long as we have a thermos or an insulating lunchbox we can pack just about
anything, hot or cold. It took a while to get it down to what we really liked
and learning how to keep the foods hot or cold.
My favorite equipment is a short stainless thermos. If
we pair the hot thermos food with normal temp foods in an insulating lunchbox it
stays perfectly hot till lunchtime. If it's more of a casserole type food that
can taste ok just warm I like my lock n lock glass containers in an insulating
box.
If we have a cold drink or salad at the same time, I send it in a different
container than the lunchbox with the hot stuff or I just send it with other cool
things.
We've found that a hot thermos of soup along with a cool smoothie and jello
don't mix well in the lunchbox.
Some other favorites that make it easy...
Make lots of sandwiches (minus lettuce and veggies) and freeze them. They'll
thaw for lunch. If you do tuna or other soggy fillings butter the bread first.
I actually LOVE soggy bread when stuff like that thaws.
Make super healthy muffins loaded with flax, oatmeal, whole grains, veggies,
etc. Freeze a couple in a baggie and pop these in instead of a sandwich. I'll
make a quadruple batch at a time.
Hummus freezes well if your kids will eat it with a bread, chips, or veggies
Use the bento box idea and put dinner leftovers in the freezer to space out in
boxes later or just pack it into the lunchbox and stick it in the fridge.
Learn what dinner tastes good cold later if you don't want to heat...spaghetti
and rice taste great with a bit of dressing or sauce on top to refresh it.
Salad with dressing on the side. Any dessert. Even ice cream in a thermos can
work if they're ok with a milkshake by lunch.
One of the biggest things we've figured out is that equipment really helps. As
long as we have a thermos or an insulating lunchbox we can pack just about
anything, hot or cold. It took a while to get it down to what we really liked
and learning how to keep the foods hot or cold.
My favorite equipment is a short stainless thermos. If
we pair the hot thermos food with normal temp foods in an insulating lunchbox it
stays perfectly hot till lunchtime. If it's more of a casserole type food that
can taste ok just warm I like my lock n lock glass containers in an insulating
box.
If we have a cold drink or salad at the same time, I send it in a different
container than the lunchbox with the hot stuff or I just send it with other cool
things.
We've found that a hot thermos of soup along with a cool smoothie and jello
don't mix well in the lunchbox.
Some other favorites that make it easy...
Make lots of sandwiches (minus lettuce and veggies) and freeze them. They'll
thaw for lunch. If you do tuna or other soggy fillings butter the bread first.
I actually LOVE soggy bread when stuff like that thaws.
Make super healthy muffins loaded with flax, oatmeal, whole grains, veggies,
etc. Freeze a couple in a baggie and pop these in instead of a sandwich. I'll
make a quadruple batch at a time.
Hummus freezes well if your kids will eat it with a bread, chips, or veggies
Use the bento box idea and put dinner leftovers in the freezer to space out in
boxes later or just pack it into the lunchbox and stick it in the fridge.
Learn what dinner tastes good cold later if you don't want to heat...spaghetti
and rice taste great with a bit of dressing or sauce on top to refresh it.
Salad with dressing on the side. Any dessert. Even ice cream in a thermos can
work if they're ok with a milkshake by lunch.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Super Sloppies!
Today's lunch was a huge success so I'd love to share it. If you're vegetarian, leave out the meat. If you're gluten free, use GF rolls or bread
saute 1/2 an onion with a bit of butter till soft and yummy smelling (can skip the saute if you're in a hurry)
in a food processor add the onion, 3 carrots, 3 sticks of celery, and any other veggies you need to use up. Pulse till it's finely chopped. Add 1 can of drained black beans and barely pulse to start to break them up.
In the same pan as the onions, begin to brown 1 lb of ground beef (check your labels for color or solution)
When it's almost done, add the veggies and stir. While this is cooking, add a can of tomatoes or 1/2 cup catsup or whatever sloppy joe type base you want. Add spices like onion powder, garlic, parsley. Taste, then add salt to taste. We used about 1 tsp of salt. Add a bit of water if you need it.
Serve in the middle of approved rolls or on top of rice.
This was a huge hit even for my super sensory one who detects the faintest bits of onions or tomatoes. The texture that he expected from the ground beef really hid anything else that was in there.
We served our Super Sloppies in a roll with fluffy stuff (whipped cream, cottage cheese, homemade yogurt, fruit)
saute 1/2 an onion with a bit of butter till soft and yummy smelling (can skip the saute if you're in a hurry)
in a food processor add the onion, 3 carrots, 3 sticks of celery, and any other veggies you need to use up. Pulse till it's finely chopped. Add 1 can of drained black beans and barely pulse to start to break them up.
In the same pan as the onions, begin to brown 1 lb of ground beef (check your labels for color or solution)
When it's almost done, add the veggies and stir. While this is cooking, add a can of tomatoes or 1/2 cup catsup or whatever sloppy joe type base you want. Add spices like onion powder, garlic, parsley. Taste, then add salt to taste. We used about 1 tsp of salt. Add a bit of water if you need it.
Serve in the middle of approved rolls or on top of rice.
This was a huge hit even for my super sensory one who detects the faintest bits of onions or tomatoes. The texture that he expected from the ground beef really hid anything else that was in there.
We served our Super Sloppies in a roll with fluffy stuff (whipped cream, cottage cheese, homemade yogurt, fruit)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Mexican cole slaw
MMM, made an invention today and I had to share since most of my standbys are already on here.
I started with a basic fresh salsa of diced tomatoes, diced onions, chopped radishes (weird but my friend puts them in and they're wonderful), crushed fresh garlic, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, and salt.
Then, I saw the cabbage head sitting on the counter, ready for tomorrow's dinner, and I wondered.
The cabbage was sliced thinly like I would for cole slaw, added 1/2 cup of mayo, splash of whole, raw milk, and a sprinkle of salt, and dumped a cup of fresh salsa into it.
It was good that night but when I got it out for lunch today it was awesome. The flavors blended together so well and the cabbage had softened a little with the salt and lime juice. YUM!
I started with a basic fresh salsa of diced tomatoes, diced onions, chopped radishes (weird but my friend puts them in and they're wonderful), crushed fresh garlic, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, and salt.
Then, I saw the cabbage head sitting on the counter, ready for tomorrow's dinner, and I wondered.
The cabbage was sliced thinly like I would for cole slaw, added 1/2 cup of mayo, splash of whole, raw milk, and a sprinkle of salt, and dumped a cup of fresh salsa into it.
It was good that night but when I got it out for lunch today it was awesome. The flavors blended together so well and the cabbage had softened a little with the salt and lime juice. YUM!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Peanut butter and jelly sushi rolls
http://www.parents.com/recipes/nutrition/kids/smart-snacks/?page=3
Cute, cute, cute! I would really use sushi rice for this and not white bread but hey, use approved bread or tortillas for the same effect.
Peanut butter, strawberry slices, and banana or something to that effect would be great as a sushi roll.
Or, peanut butter, thinly sliced celery and raisins for bumps on a log.
mmmmmmmmm, gonna try em out tomorrow.
Cute, cute, cute! I would really use sushi rice for this and not white bread but hey, use approved bread or tortillas for the same effect.
Peanut butter, strawberry slices, and banana or something to that effect would be great as a sushi roll.
Or, peanut butter, thinly sliced celery and raisins for bumps on a log.
mmmmmmmmm, gonna try em out tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tex-Mex Haystacks
MMMMMMMMMM, we made something different today that hit the spot! It was a snowy day in April and we were all feeling a little blah. So, we had to come up with a new food. Here it is...Tex-Mex haystacks
Cooked rice, white or brown
1-2 cans (or cooked at home) fat-free refried beans listing only beans, water, and salt
shredded whole milk monterey jack cheese or other approved cheese
guacamole made with a clove of garlic, squeeze of lemon or lime, and salt
extras can include...
whole cream sour cream with just cream listed as an ingredient or approved
homemade or approved salsa or hot sauce
chopped onions
canned, fresh, or frozen corn listing just corn and salt
cooked hamburger
Just start with the rice and layer the rest on top. The kids wanted theirs with just the main 4 ingredients, Russ and I added sour cream and salsa.
Cooked rice, white or brown
1-2 cans (or cooked at home) fat-free refried beans listing only beans, water, and salt
shredded whole milk monterey jack cheese or other approved cheese
guacamole made with a clove of garlic, squeeze of lemon or lime, and salt
extras can include...
whole cream sour cream with just cream listed as an ingredient or approved
homemade or approved salsa or hot sauce
chopped onions
canned, fresh, or frozen corn listing just corn and salt
cooked hamburger
Just start with the rice and layer the rest on top. The kids wanted theirs with just the main 4 ingredients, Russ and I added sour cream and salsa.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Black Bean and Bell Pepper Pasta
http://theoriginalmybentodiet.blogspot.com/
Black Bean & Bell Pepper Pasta
Very easy to make!
Pasta
1 can of black beans
1 can of italian flavored diced tomatoes
1 bag of frozen bell pepper strips
Seasonings (this is the key!)
Cook pasta, drain and set aside. Put frozen peppers in frying pan to thaw/cook. Drain. Rinse black beans. Add beans and tomatoes to peppers. Season - I used a salt/pepper combo, garlic and herb combo (no salt), and sun-dried tomato basil combo (no salt). Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Polenta and Beans
Frugal Black Beans & Polenta copied from "The Frugal Vegan"
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
This is a recipe I found somewhere on the internet and adapted it! It's really filling and makes enough for 6 people and costs about 50 cents a person :) I made it tonight and it was very filling and tasty! (note from Danika, start with dry beans and the cost is much less)
Frugal Black Beans & Polenta
6 cups water
2 cups cornmeal
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 15oz cans of black beans (drained & rinse)
1 cup salsa
To make polenta, boil water & salt, then add the cornmeal very slowly so it doesn't clump. Keep stiring until really thick on low heat. Be careful because it will bubble and splash! This might take 20 minutes or so. When it comes off the sides of the pot, spread onto a 9X13 greased pan. While polenta is sitting, combine black beans & salsa and heat. When polenta is cooled a bit (10 mins or so), cut into 12 even pieces. Place two pieces of polenta on a plate and scoop some black beans on top. This is really filling and tasty! I used the zucchini salsa I made at harvest time. Feel free to add other veggies if you wish.
(note from Danika, if you don't like spicy, just add a can of tomatoes. You can also vary which beans you use. I love well cooked pintos on polenta. No salsa! Bring on the guacamole though. I usually just scoop the polenta first, then the beans. Saves a dish and I don't care if my polenta is nice and square.)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
http://www.5dollardinners.com/2009/03/crockpot-chicken-fajitas.html
This is from 5 dollar dinners. I have never bought Rotel tomatoes so just make sure they just have veggies and salt, calcium for firming is ok too. Make your own corn tortillas or buy an approved brand.
Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts ($1.50) Prepared from split breasts
1 can of Rotel ($.37) Matched coupon with sale price
1 green pepper, sliced ($.79)
1 onion, sliced ($.30)
1 tsp cumin ($.05)
1 cup rice ($.20)
1 avocado ($.50) Rolled-Back!
1/2 tsp lemon juice ($.02)
1 garlic clove ($.02) Bought for $.10 a head at recent store closing
1/2 bag corn tortillas ($.50) Or flour, if you prefer! We eat corn - GFCFSF diet.
2 cups frozen corn ($1)
Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream or salsa (optional)
Directions
1. Marinate chicken in 1 can of Rotel. Here is what I did with mine. (Thaw in bowl of warm water if necessary.) Place chicken with Rotel in the crockpot. Add sliced green peppers and sliced onions and combine with chicken and Rotel. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. (I recommend slicing your chicken before putting it in the crockpot. I did not, but wish'd I had!)
2. Make homemade guacamole.
3. Cook rice. Bring 2.5 cups of water to boil. Add 1 cup of uncooked rice. Return water to a bowl. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with fork.
4. Prepare corn as directed on packaging.
5. Warm tortillas in tortilla warmer, or wrapped in foil in the oven.
6. Serve chicken and peppers on tortilla, topped with guacamole, and a side of rice and corn.
Cost $5.25
This is from 5 dollar dinners. I have never bought Rotel tomatoes so just make sure they just have veggies and salt, calcium for firming is ok too. Make your own corn tortillas or buy an approved brand.
Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts ($1.50) Prepared from split breasts
1 can of Rotel ($.37) Matched coupon with sale price
1 green pepper, sliced ($.79)
1 onion, sliced ($.30)
1 tsp cumin ($.05)
1 cup rice ($.20)
1 avocado ($.50) Rolled-Back!
1/2 tsp lemon juice ($.02)
1 garlic clove ($.02) Bought for $.10 a head at recent store closing
1/2 bag corn tortillas ($.50) Or flour, if you prefer! We eat corn - GFCFSF diet.
2 cups frozen corn ($1)
Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream or salsa (optional)
Directions
1. Marinate chicken in 1 can of Rotel. Here is what I did with mine. (Thaw in bowl of warm water if necessary.) Place chicken with Rotel in the crockpot. Add sliced green peppers and sliced onions and combine with chicken and Rotel. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. (I recommend slicing your chicken before putting it in the crockpot. I did not, but wish'd I had!)
2. Make homemade guacamole.
3. Cook rice. Bring 2.5 cups of water to boil. Add 1 cup of uncooked rice. Return water to a bowl. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with fork.
4. Prepare corn as directed on packaging.
5. Warm tortillas in tortilla warmer, or wrapped in foil in the oven.
6. Serve chicken and peppers on tortilla, topped with guacamole, and a side of rice and corn.
Cost $5.25
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Warm day, smoothie day!
Today was so warm outside! We worked hard scooping goat poop and hay into the garden growboxes. I came in for lunch and did not want to cook, too hot after all that work. So, we did a protein smoothie.
Fresh pineapple, homemade yogurt, stevia, 2 TBSP of golden flaxseeds, and plenty of unsulphered bulk coconut. Fills you up for quite a while and it tastes like you've visited a tropical island.
And, since I haven't posted pictures lately here's a pic of the kids playing with the new baby goats at our friend's home.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Another Lara bar post
And yet another Lara bar post...This one from The gluten free dish (I have a feeling I'll be borrowing a lot from her blog)
http://theglutenfreedish.blogspot.com/2008/12/date-bars-from-dad-with-love.html
Date bars from dad with love
(Today I would like to introduce to you my sweet husband, Scott. I am grateful to have him as my husband. Chronic illness affects the lives of everyone in a family, and recovery is much faster and greater when you have a supportive spouse who willingly completes you in your weaknesses. Thank you, Scott!
He has delighted us with his newest kitchen creation. I know you will enjoy it as much as we have. These are SOOO good!)
And now for something completely different. This is the dish's husband here. A few weeks ago, I mentioned to one of my co-workers how much our boys love LaraBars. She is a native of India and, after trying some of one I brought with me, stated that her mother made very similar treats for her as a girl.
Well... a few days later she brought some homemade bars to work, and I prevailed on her to supply a recipe. It is a very simple recipe, and the boys have not stopped asking for more (once they ate them all up inside 48 hours). These were made with pecans and coconut, but the recipe is a great starting place for creativity. We're envisioning variations with apples, cocoa, dried cherries or berries, and other types of nuts. Our youngest needs to avoid cinnamon, but this could be a nice change from the spices, too.
Coco-Pecan Date Bars
1 pound dried dates, chopped
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cardamom
Dice the dates, set aside in a metal mixing bowl (what I did) or the top half of a double boiler. Put the nuts, coconut, and spices into the food processor and chop coarsely. Empty the nut mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons warm water to the dates and heat gently over boiling water, stirring often. Once the dates start to soften, put them into the food processor and blend them into a paste. Our processor is rather small (4-cup) , so I had to move the dates around some to get them mixed properly. Combine the dates with the dry mixture (a sturdy spoon works, but so do hands). Once mixed, spread into a 9" square baking dish, pat flat, cover and put in the refrigerator at least one hour.
http://theglutenfreedish.blogspot.com/2008/12/date-bars-from-dad-with-love.html
Date bars from dad with love
(Today I would like to introduce to you my sweet husband, Scott. I am grateful to have him as my husband. Chronic illness affects the lives of everyone in a family, and recovery is much faster and greater when you have a supportive spouse who willingly completes you in your weaknesses. Thank you, Scott!
He has delighted us with his newest kitchen creation. I know you will enjoy it as much as we have. These are SOOO good!)
And now for something completely different. This is the dish's husband here. A few weeks ago, I mentioned to one of my co-workers how much our boys love LaraBars. She is a native of India and, after trying some of one I brought with me, stated that her mother made very similar treats for her as a girl.
Well... a few days later she brought some homemade bars to work, and I prevailed on her to supply a recipe. It is a very simple recipe, and the boys have not stopped asking for more (once they ate them all up inside 48 hours). These were made with pecans and coconut, but the recipe is a great starting place for creativity. We're envisioning variations with apples, cocoa, dried cherries or berries, and other types of nuts. Our youngest needs to avoid cinnamon, but this could be a nice change from the spices, too.
Coco-Pecan Date Bars
1 pound dried dates, chopped
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cardamom
Dice the dates, set aside in a metal mixing bowl (what I did) or the top half of a double boiler. Put the nuts, coconut, and spices into the food processor and chop coarsely. Empty the nut mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons warm water to the dates and heat gently over boiling water, stirring often. Once the dates start to soften, put them into the food processor and blend them into a paste. Our processor is rather small (4-cup) , so I had to move the dates around some to get them mixed properly. Combine the dates with the dry mixture (a sturdy spoon works, but so do hands). Once mixed, spread into a 9" square baking dish, pat flat, cover and put in the refrigerator at least one hour.
peppers and eggs, depression cooking
use approved or always acceptable oil or butter
I have no idea what sort of yeast that is but this is a good tutorial to see how to make the bread. I don't see any oil in those breadpans and I don't know how that works but if you do use oil, use always acceptable or approved. That bread looks soooooo good!
Pasta and Peas, depression cooking
This one is approved too. Just use approved tomato sauce or a can of tomatoes in the end if you decide it needs the tomato flavor.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
snack sized...
Just a note here, I can't remember if I've posted about this or not. I love snack sized containers! I like to get them from the grocery store, dollar store, or ichiban kan online.
My kids see a snack and they go crazy eating the whole thing. So, right when we get it home we put it in snack sized containers. We also do this with yogurt, homemade jello, and anything else that needs portion control.
My kids see a snack and they go crazy eating the whole thing. So, right when we get it home we put it in snack sized containers. We also do this with yogurt, homemade jello, and anything else that needs portion control.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Turkey Salad, easy lunch
Today we had a very easy lunch that hit the spot, thought I'd post...
We used bagged spinach and lettuce, shredded a carrot and some whole milk white cheese, and opened a can of turkey (just had turkey, water, and salt).
For dressing I put a blop of approved mayo on the top, you could use approved yogurt or sour cream with just cream listed.
It was a yummy and easy meal.
We used bagged spinach and lettuce, shredded a carrot and some whole milk white cheese, and opened a can of turkey (just had turkey, water, and salt).
For dressing I put a blop of approved mayo on the top, you could use approved yogurt or sour cream with just cream listed.
It was a yummy and easy meal.
Monday, February 2, 2009
YAY! My Lara bars worked!
oooh yummy! My bars worked. I made a trial run since I only had salycylates (raisins) for a stick together item.
My next batch will be bigger when I get my Azure Standard order. They have non-preserved almonds, dates, and figs. I called the manufacturers just to be sure.
We've been searching for some Gluten and Casein free portable items to keep in the purse and these will be a really nice change from stupid perky-o's.
These bars have raisins (checked to make sure they have no flour dusting), sunflower seeds, coconut shreds, and carob powder. I did boil the raisins with a bit of water first to make sure they were plump enough so the mixture would hold plenty of carob powder. Baby is very low on iron and the carob is good for that.
They turned out very yummy and I'm so excited to get my almonds, dates, and figs!
I made them into a basic shape, wrapped, and then squished a little better. If anyone knows how long these last please let me know. I put them in the fridge for now just in case.
Homemade Lara bars, a quick snack
http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-cooking-article/homemade-lara-type-bars-energy-bars-part-3/191669
This is a great blog post about homemade Lara bars. If you don't have a Feingold list please verify that you're using preservative free nuts and fruit. I like the stuff from Azure Standard. Lots of nuts are preserved in the packaging so they won't go bad.
****edited to add**** I spoke with a friend today who was going to soak the nuts first to bring out the enzymes. They would be a different texture and not hold together with the sticky if you do this however, you can follow nourishing traditions and soak the nuts for a night, then drain and dehydrate them. Chop them up afterwards. If you have all dry ingredients they should stay good in your cupboard for a while. If you have wet ingredients you'll need to refrigerate.
Also, a caution, these are so compact and full of potent, no water food. Drink plenty of water when eating nuts or dehydrated foods. If you don't you'll pay the price with constipation. If you drink lots of water while eating larabars they're somewhat cleansing.
Here's the article on wellsphere...
Apologies for this post being a few days late, but my love for LARA bars demanded several tries and multiple flavor variations before posting—I really wanted to get this as close to the real thing as possible.
Whether you’ ve heard of them or not, LARA BARS are one of the very best energy bars on the market, largely because they are made from a short list of real food ingredients: nuts, fruits and spices. In addition to their inarguable yummy- ness , they boast the following assets:
Unprocessed - Raw - Non- GMO - Gluten Free - Dairy Free - Soy Free - Vegan - Kosher.
For comparison sake, take a look at the Lara bar ingredients and the ingredients for another apple- ish flavored bar on the market (made by Powerbar ):
LARABAR : Apple Pie Flavor (from http://www.larabar.com/ )Dates, Walnuts, Unsweetened Apples, Almonds, Raisins, Cinnamon
Powerbar : Apple Cinnamon Flavor (from http://www.powerbar.com/ )High Fructose Corn Syrup With Grape And Pear Juice Concentrate, Oat Bran, Maltodextrin , Milk Protein Isolate, Rice Crisps (Milled Rice, Rice Bran), Brown Rice Flour, Almond Butter, Apple Powder, Natural Flavor, Glycerin, Soy Protein Isolate, Cinnamon and Peanut Flour.CONTAINS ALMOND, MILK, PEANUT AND SOY INGREDIENTS.
Umm , glycerin.
The only downside to LARA bars is that once you try them, you love them, and you’ ve got to have them. And at about $1.60 to $2.00 per bar, times three family members (yes, baby likes small bites of them, too), it starts to get pricey. Hence my ersatz, but equally enchanting, rendition.
Just me and my food processor…
A few raw ingredients, and no cooking required? Replication seemed possible. I found a handful of blog posts with recipes for homemade LARA-type bars, but they didn ’t sound like they could possibly be correct.
The primary problem was that quite a few recipes pushed for a one to three ratio of fruit to nuts. I tried it, and my suspicions were correct: far too many nuts, nowhere near enough fruit (an easy give-away: if there were so many nuts, it would always be listed as the first ingredient on the LARA BAR packaging; it is not).
In addition, the specifications for each of the steps (how fine to chop/process the nuts and fruits, how to blend, etc) were vague.
After a few delicious rounds of testing, I think I’ ve got a good facsimile; Kevin agrees, and baby Nick kept pleading, “More! More!”.
So here’s what to do for two bars (and this can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc; it only depends on the size of your food processor). I’m using cherry as my main example, but I’ ve listed some variations below. You can be as creative as you like with the combinations.
Raw or Toasty—It’s Up to You
The Raw Foods Movement is fascinating, but if the raw angle does not matter to you, and you have a bit of extra time, consider lightly toasting the nuts; it boosts the flavor significantly (but truth be told, I still like the raw flavor best). Or, if you like salty-sweet, you can opt for roasted, lightly salted nuts—yum!
.
Bars, Shmars ...
There is no rule saying you have to shape these into bars; you can shape them into little truffle shapes or squares (see photo 6). It's a great candy alternative (and this comes from someone with a not-so-secret affection for sour fruit jelly bellies).
Very Cherry Bars (use as a template for almost any combination)
LARA BARS use a multi-layer package that keeps out UV light and oxygen, which, in turn, maintains freshness without the use of preservatives. I use plain old plastic wrap and my refrigerator, then pop one in my bag when I’m ready to go.
1/4 cup chopped dates (roughly chopped whole dates, not pre -chopped)
1/4 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries
1/3 cup whole pecans, almonds or walnuts
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Set out two pieces of plastic wrap for shaping and wrapping the bars. Do this first; you’ll have sticky fingers when you need it.
Place the dates and cherries in a food processor. Pulse until processed to a paste (photo 1). Transfer paste to a medium bowl (don’t clean processor).
Add the nuts to the processor and pulse until finely chopped (photo 2). Add the nuts, along with the cinnamon, to the bowl with the fruit paste (photo 3). Use your fingers to knead the nuts into the paste (just keep squishing, it’s fun; brings back memories of play-dough; see photo 4).
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Divide mixture in half. Place each half on each of one of the sheets of plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic around each bar and start squishing into a bar shape form, 3 and 1/2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 3/4-inch thick); press against countertop to flatten bottom side, flattening top side and ends with flat of hand (photo 5) Tightly wrap the plastic around each bar and store in the refrigerator. Makes 2 bars.
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Nutrition per Serving (1 bar): Calories 207; Fat 9.4 g (sat .8g, mono 5.2g, poly 3.1g); Protein 3.9g; Cholesterol 0mg; Carbohydrate 24.9g; Sodium 0.4mg. (Note: I did the nutrition analysis using Diet Analysis Plus 7.0.1 )
A Few Ideas for Variations:
Apricot-Almond: Use 6 tablespoons coarsely chopped dried apricots and 2 tablespoons date (to measure 1/2 cup total); use almonds for the nuts.
Tropical: Use tropical fruit bits (these come pre -packaged at the supermarket); use raw cashews for the nuts. Add 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, and 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice to the mix.
PB & J (cheap and delicious!): Use 1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries and 1/4 cup raisins or dates; use raw or roasted peanuts (lightly salted or unsalted) for the nuts.
Blueberry Bliss: Use 1/4 cup dried blueberries and 1/4 cup dates; use almonds for the nuts. Add 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, and a drop of almond extract to the mix.
Cashew Cookie Dough: Reverse the proportions of fruit to nuts--Use 1/3 cup dates for the fruit and 1/2 cup raw cashews for the nuts.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Same as cashew cookie dough, but add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of cinnamon and 1/2 ounce very finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate to the mix.
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough: Same as cashew cookie dough but use raw or roasted (lightly salted) peanuts for the nuts.
Dates Nutrition Notes:
Dates are included in a majority of the LARA Bars, so I thought I’d mention a few facts about these wonderful fruits.
I love dates because I love brown sugar, and dates taste like brown sugar candy--hence they are a delicious and healthy way to curb my sweet tooth. One date has a mere 23 calories and is loaded with nutrition. Dates are an excellent source of carbohydrates (great for pre- or post-workout), contain no cholesterol, are high in fiber, and boast a wide range of nutrients, including calcium (32 mg per serving), Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium, Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese.
Dates also contain vitamins A1, B1, B2, B3, B5, C and more than 20 different amino acids; they help in the digestion and assimilation of carbohydrates, and help to regulate blood sugar levels and fatty acids content in our bodies.
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