Blueberry Pie Energy Bars (AKA DIY Lara Bars Part 2)
Angela | January 25, 2011I have been on a DIY Lara Bar tear for a while, necessitated by some seriously busy work days lately. They make a great on-the-go snack, especially when you’re seriously on the go.
Since I figured out how to make a reasonable Lara Bar facsimile, I haven’t found myself willing to pay for one already made. Funny how that works!
Anyway, this week, I was out of dried cherries, but had dried blueberries, so I went to work figuring out a new flavor of my “Angie Bars.” I think this is my new favorite flavor! They are pretty sweet, so if you’re watching the sugar, perhaps up the almonds and reduce the blueberries a bit. But, especially pre-run, bike, or swim, when I’m after a bit of sugar, these have really been hitting the spot.
Blueberry Pie Energy Bars
Makes: 3 bars
Ingredients:
- 6 medjool dates, pitted
- 1/3 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup dried blueberries
Method
- Pit and chop dates into big chunks
- In a high speed blender or food processor, blend the almonds until they are well chopped. I blended mine to almost almond butter consistency in the Ninja, but this is not necessary.
- Add blueberries to the blender and blend until the almonds and blueberries are well integrated, about 30 seconds to a minute
- Add chopped dates, and blend until the mixture comes together – this took about 30 seconds for me
- Pour mixture onto a sheet of wax paper larger than the mixture, and fold the paper over the mixture
- Press the mixture down with your hands into a rectangular shape about 3/4 inch thick
- Place the formed rectangle into the fridge for about 2 hours to harden up, and then cut into three equal portions
- Store wrapped in wax paper or baggies in the refrigerator
Nutrition
Based on 3 servings.
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First of all, its awesome of you to provide nutrition facts. I love that! Why do you think the sugar and calories on your bars is so much higher than on store-bought Larabars? Are the bigger? I’d think using real blueberries instead of the concentrate would be less sugary, not more – right?
Hi Liz,
Great point! The bars are definitely bigger – probably 1.5X or slightly bigger. But, also, dried blueberries have a lot of sugar in them, so that is where I poiint the finger on the sugar.
Angela
Aloha,
I was wondering, I do not have “dried blueberries” but I do have fresh ones. Do you think it would make much of a difference? If so, do you have any advice on how I could “dry” my blueberries out in humid hawaii? I am new to blending and have recently been inspired to start “doing it myself” instead of spending loads of money on snacks etc etc. That, and because, well, its fun!
Mahalo Nui Loa,
Jen
Hi Jen,
I have never tried this with fresh blueberries, so I am not sure how it would work. I’ll pick up a batch this week and give it a try and report back.
Dried blueberries are a lot like raisins, so I am sure fresh blueberries could be dried in a dehydrator, or oven on very low temp (like 200) for several hours. But, I don’t know that this is actually necessary. I just used dried blueberries in the recipe because it was convenient. I buy them at Trader Joe’s — but I know you don’t have those in beautiful Hawaii!
Stay tuned for more on using fresh blueberries.
Angela
I hope to see more of your recipes and updates soon
instead of just blueberries, how about half cranberries and half blueberries?
Yep! That would work – go with what you like and experiment. Just keep the proportions kind of similar. Have fun!
Angela,
You are a terrific lady! Thanks for all of your great info! I just bought my Ninja 1200 the other night. It sits in my trunk, as I keep trying to reaffirm that I’ve made the right choice!
I see that I have made a good choice. I’m not sure that there is one “right” choice. That…. is a wonderful outcome, IMO.
I am going to fire this baby up, today. My dad is elderly and has recently lost a ton of weight as a result of being in a nursing home for some rehab after his 4th pneumonia, in the last 16 months. He lost 26 pounds in this last round of rehab, which puts him at 140 lbs, at a height of 5’11″. I have been feeding him his favorite foods, which I’m sure will help get his strength back, but I am going to start using my Ninja to make him nutritional smoothies and adding some weight-gain/ protein powders to try putting some meat back on his frail bones.
I work for the largest Natural food chain, so I have had occasion to meet many people that have changed their health situations radically by juicing and making smoothies using a vitamix/ ninja type blender. I will keep you appraised of his progress, as I will be starting out using many of your recipes and probably modifying them for dad’s palate. I will not hold you accountable in any way for any subsequent decline in his health. Just sayin’. This seems like an experiment that would be helpful to him, but his lifetime choices and health issues are responsible for his current situation. He is very frugal (poor man still thinks it’s the great depression of 1930′s), so he buys the 99 cent frozen dinners and tries to live on those. He does this by choice – not necessity. IMO, ANYTHING would be a profound improvement.
Oh my gosh, Sherrie, bring it inside! You are right that in a world of so many options there is no one “right” choice, but you made a very good one. You can do a lot with a Ninja Blender, and it is just so reasonably priced for what you get, especially compared to a Vitamix or Blendtec.
If you can get him to do it, I really recommend you try to get your dad to drink the “Ultimate Green Smoothie” (http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/07/19/the-ultimate-green-smoothie/ ). It is not at all low cal (~550 calories about), but it is packed with nutrition and tastes delicious. More than a few people have told me they were skeptical but then pleasantly surprised at how good it is.
I personally have experienced the healing power of food (using it to reverse hypothyroidism), and have no doubt at all you can use your Ninja to help your dad regain his strength. Good luck and thanks for your nice note.
Angela
Sherrie, Start giving your Dad Coconut oil caps. 1 twice a day unless he is having congestion in his lungs then do 2 2x a day. You can also put coconut oil in his smoothies you make him. I gave this advice to my aunt about 9 years ago because she would get pneumonia every year and almost died from it the last time, and to this day she has never gotten it again. She takes 1 capsule twice a day. Do research on it and you will find a whole host of things it is good for. The best and least expensive place to get them is from Swanson Vitamins for $2.99 a bottle that will last a month. If you go to a place like GNC you will pay $15 or more. Hope this helps.
Rebecca