April 4th...Lara Bars

Ok so 4 days into the Paleo diet, doing pretty good, had a few slip ups.  What I love about this process is being aware of my food habits, good and bad!  I'm realizing that I need some kind of snack/treat for myself.  So that's where my power balls and now the newly discovered Lara's Bars, thanks to my sista in-law, Lara, are coming in handy!  I also realized that like most of us, I too eat out of board em.  I can say my house is very clean today! I did a bunch of cooking/baking yesterday and I stock piled the fridge and freezer, so that I have a variety of food.  This comes in handy when the family is eating something, not so Paleo friendly, I can just grab something out of the freezer. Here is the "Lara Bar"...got the recipe from another website,Eat Clean Momma.

My ingredients differ a bit from the original recipe, use what ya have!

Use the food processor.  Mix nuts and dates/dried berries separately at first, then combine. Chop up dark chocolate into fine piceces and add altogether.  Extras I added, 2 tblsp. each of Flax Seed and Wheat Germ.  I also had to add 1/4 cup of honey in order to get the mixture to stick together.

  

Line baking pan with parchment aper, pour in mixture and press into pan with backside of spoon.  Leave in fridge 1-2 hours, to harden.

Lift out of pan and cut into whatever size pieces you want...I did "bar" and "snack" sizes.  Put in an air tight container to keep fresh or put away in the freezer for later.  So I figured out the calorie count.  If you can get 20 bars out of the pan, it works out to be 130cal. per bar...I have 18 above,( 143 calories) note they are about an inch thick at least.  The commercial Lara Bar I think was 210cal. and thinner than mine!


Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups pitted dates / 3/4 Almonds / 3/4 Cashews / 3/4 dried berries / 2 pieces Dark Chocolate / 2 tblsp Coco powder / 2 tblsp. Flax seed & Wheat germ / 1/4 cup honey.




Food Diary:
7am- coffee
8am- 1/4 cup raw oats, w. 1/4 frozen berries, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt.
10:40am- turkey burger, spinach salad w. 1/2 avacado, 1/2 cucumber, 4 strawberries.
11:45am- black coffee, hot dog...no bun, Easter party! 2 jelly beans, 1 chocolate egg, 1 chocolate bunny.
2:45pm- Protein shake w. water, frozen berries, banana
5:30pm- 3oz Salmon, 1/2 cup yams, spinach salad.
7pm- 1 of Mom's home made cookies!