Dates are tasty! Health Benefits And Homemade Lara Bars:

Do you eat dates? Have you ever tried a date? If you haven’t you should give them a try! 

If you know and love dates, then you’ll surely be stoked on this recipe. Who knew they could be such a yummy little treat and used in a variety of ways! I had not known much about dates until a few years back when my good friend Jenna shared a recipe with me of her version of a Larabar that included dates. I was unsure at first but gave them a shot and now they are a staple in our kitchen. I thought it would be a fun recipe to continue to pass along, especially because it is already mid-January and if you are like me, you are likely beginning to look for a new recipe to meet the needs of your taste buds and also meet the parameters of your New Year’s nutrition goals.

4 tasty ingredients and about 15 minutes of prep time is all it takes to make this yummy, whole-food snack. Enjoy!

Larabars

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. cocoa powder

½ cup unsweet coconut flakes

1 cup mixed nuts

1 cup pitted dates

Combine ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the mixture starts to clump. When it starts to clump and the ingredients have been mixed together, it is finished. Roll the mixture on parchment paper to cut into desired shapes and sizes. Or you can form bars with your hands. Makes about 6 bars.

I am certain there a ton of different ingredients you can substitute here but hopefully this gets you started on the road to loving and appreciating dates! And on a side note, dates also make yummy little treats all by themselves. It turns out they are a perfect healthy option for a sweet-treat craving.

Amanda is a speech pathologist for the Sheridan County School District and has taught spin classes for 5 years. She loves bringing energy to her classes with a great playlist and tons of energy. When she is not in the gym, she can be found playing outdoors biking, running and skiing with her husband, dog, and friends!