Someone at work mentioned a new term – “flexitarian”. According to MSNBC the term flexitarian is for part-time vegetarians. I don’t see how one can be a “part-time” vegetarian. Either you are or you’re not.

Having grown in up the midwest I’m a carnivore and love meat and potatoes, but with all the news about how bad “red meat” is for you and the “mad cow”/ecoli warnings I don’t eat as much red meat as I used to. In fact, maybe once a week or even less. I have chicken because it’s cheap and in our state no anti-biotics can be used. I drink milk every day.

I eat healthy 6 days a week… on my 7th day or “free” day, I don’t care… Even then I still read labels. Doesn’t sound like a “free” day does it?

Where am I going with this? I love to cook and bake. I also LOVE Lara bars, but they’re so expensive (maybe $2.00). They are labeled as “GLUTEN FREE * DAIRY FREE * SOY FREE * NON-GMO * VEGAN * KOSHER”. A friend at work has been making her own. It’s something I thought I’d try. I searched the internet and have found a recipe.

Here’s what a “real” Lara bar looks like.

I went to the grocery store and bought bulk items – whole pitted dates, raisins, cashews, and cranberries (not sure I’ll use them as they have added sugar). Also bought frozen unsweetened cherries.

My first attempt tasted good, but didn’t make a “bar”. Let me share my semi-failed attempt to make a “Lara-type” bar…

I used my hand/imersion blender and food processor attachment to chop the dates and cherries. When done, put contents into a bowl. Mine didn’t look like the recipe web site’s “paste”, but I kept going.

Then I put the almonds in the food processor attachment and I wanted a finer nut mixture than the recipe site’s nut mixture. But I kept going…

When I finished the nuts, I poured them into the bowl and mixed them up…

Ummmmmmmm… mine doesn’t look like her’s.

Mine

It tastes GREAT… just isn’t at “bar”. I think I mushed the fruit too much. Well, that just means I to make more… I’ll keep you posted.