Homemade Larabars:)

I love Larabars... but they are not cheap...

We are not a gluten free family... but we do try to eat healthy when we can... 

(never mind the gallon of ice cream we begged Greg to pick up on his way home last night:)

Louis and I decided we would try to make out own...

First try... 

Homemade Chocolate Cherry Coconut Almond Larabars

 Dump about 2 1/2 cups of dates into the food processor:)

(I know, strange... but to me they sort of look like cockroaches....ewwwww... I do not like dates... but I actually don't mind them in something:)

 Blend them like crazy!  Dump in a bowl...

 Chop up  1 1/2 cups Almonds, 1 1/2 cups dried cherries and 1 cup chocolate chips (separately) ... this might have been better done on a good old fashioned cutting board... We like big chunks... not bits blended into smithereens:)

 Pour all of it into the bowl... add some flaked coconut (about 3/4 cup) and mix with your hands... We tried mixing in the food processor but it was a NO GO!  So much easier with your hands... but of course, far messier!:)  We like it that way:)

 Smoosh into the bottom of a 11X7 inch pan.

Cut into 1 1/2 by 4 inch bars... We stored them in individual servings wrapped in some saran.   

I know they look terrible:( (But really so do the real deal Larabars:)

But they were really Yummy!

Louis, Levi, and I love the store bought Larabars... the others kids not so much.

All the kids were begging for these...

So I think next time we will try making them with either dried Mango, Apricots, or apples... 

We can always up the protein by adding more nuts and lowering the fruit... But for a first try they were really good:)  Now, I think we are off to have a bowl of ice cream:)  

Everything in moderation right??