A "Syn"-less suprise :)

Sorry about the title... but I couldnt resist :)

So right now it is 12:30 am.. I'm sitting in my bed.. and I cant sleep.

why you ask? Because I am catching up on all of the wonderful blogs that I've missed while I was gone!

I really love blogging and reading everyones blogs.. so the fact that I can now read.. and actually TRY out some of these great recipes has me just about peeing my pants (dont worry... I am properly potty trained and promise not to wet the bed) 

But truly I have been very inspired lately...which leads me to my Syn-less suprise!

Now If you have ever read my blog before (and if anyone new is reading this.. that makes me super excited :) ) You know that I have a very terrible, horrible, no good, very bad allergy to nuts (all accept pistachios and pine nuts) Now.. as every good vegan should, I try and do my research on healthy energy boosting snacks (vegan of course). I am always seeing "Lara Bars" . I always hear how healthy and delish they are.. but this poor vegan cant try them because they are CHOCK FULL OF NUTS!!!

Well... after doing so more research and looking at ingredients I thought to myself.. why the hell cant I make my own danm lara bars!!

After this realization (of course with a cute little light bulb over my head) I rummaged through my pantry and happily found a huge container of mejool dates, pistachios, coconut, dried blue berries, apricots, cranberries, raisins and more HORRAY!!!

So my friends.. I have created three types of Syn-less bars. All containing mejool dates, and only one containing any nuts. I used seeds and carob chips to get that desired crunch. If you are allergic to nuts like I am, but are jealous of all of those foodies out there who eat these amazing bars... consider some Synless bars :)

Elphie bar (In honor of Elphaba-the lead role in Wicked-and a role I hope to some day play :)

1/4 cup chopped mejool dates

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup raw pistachios (before chopping)

1/4cup coconut

pinch of cinnamon

*Chop mejool dates into 1/4 cup. Add dates and cranberries to a food processor. Process until it makes a gooey paste (mine sort of rolled up into a gooey ball)

*Transfer into a medium sized bowl. 

*Add cinnamon, pistachios and coconut into the bowl and mix them all together with your hands. YES YOUR HANDS! Its gooey and messy but totally fun and it gets the job completely done.

once they are totally mixed together, press the concoction into a flat bar

... cut down the middle and VUALA... PISTACHIO GOODNESS.

sorry about the pictures... i am no photographer.. but I tried ;)

my next bar was,...

SMURF BAR (In honor of one of my favorite cartoons when I was growing up)

1/4 cup mejool dates (chopped)

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup dried blue berries

1/3 cup coconut

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (i know this sounds weird in the mix.. but it adds a nice crunch and its actually very complimentary to the blueberry taste i think)

just follow the same instructions

and last...

(and my personal favorite)

Carob Bliss bar (I couldnt think of anything clever oops)

1/4 cup chopped mejool dates

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup coconut

1/3 cup chopped carob chips 

1/3 cup coco powder

1/8 tspn  vanilla

Im just guestimating these measurements. the truth is I like mine super chocolaty...so I added more carob and coco powder. I also threw in some extra coconut. I did a tiny taste test... but its kind of up to you how chocolaty you wanna make it.

I plan on making more.. im thinking something with dried banana, and another with apples... ahh the possibilities are endless.

ok well now thats its 1:15am.. I guess I can say its time for bed.

<3>