{"id":10,"date":"2012-12-13T07:38:33","date_gmt":"2012-12-13T14:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/therealfoodchronicles.com\/?page_id=10"},"modified":"2016-04-23T19:48:51","modified_gmt":"2016-04-24T01:48:51","slug":"13-flavors-including-mayan-chocolate-of-larabar-like-fruit-and-nut-bars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/13-flavors-including-mayan-chocolate-of-larabar-like-fruit-and-nut-bars\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Flavors (including Mayan Chocolate) of Larabar-like Fruit and Nut Bars"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1412\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/13-Flavors-including-Maoomba-Mayan-Chocolate-of-Homemade-Larabar-like-Fruit-and-Nut-Bars.jpg\" alt=\"13 Flavors (including Mayan Chocolate) of Homemade Larabar-like Fruit and Nut Bars\" width=\"321\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/13-Flavors-including-Maoomba-Mayan-Chocolate-of-Homemade-Larabar-like-Fruit-and-Nut-Bars.jpg 321w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/13-Flavors-including-Maoomba-Mayan-Chocolate-of-Homemade-Larabar-like-Fruit-and-Nut-Bars-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 321px) 100vw, 321px\" \/>Mayan chocolate is probably best known as a delicious, hot, and frothy drink made with ground cacao beans and corn meal and spiced with chiles and cinnamon.\u00a0 This rich but bitter drink \u2013 called <em>xocolatl &#8211;<\/em> has been around for thousands of years, and only became a sweet treat in the 1700s in Europe.<\/p>\n<p>These days, you see the term Mayan chocolate used in all variety of desserts that use cocoa, chile powder and cinnamon in them.\u00a0 One of my favorite twists on the theme uses oranges; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.greenandblacks.com\/us\/from-bean-to-bar\/fair-trade.html\">Green + Black\u2019s Mayan Gold<\/a> draws from the cocoa, oranges, cinnamon and vanilla combination used in <em>Kukuh<\/em>, a drink made by Mayan farmers in Belize.<\/p>\n<p>I love to have a good stock of Mayan Chocolate fruit and nut bars on hand for on-the-go snacks or after a workout.\u00a0 But, I also like variety.\u00a0 So, here is my formula for making these easy treats \u2013 similar to a LaraBar \u2013 at home, with 13 (are you sensing a theme here?) flavor combinations to keep you from getting bored.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>The Formula (1.5:3 ratio)<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>1 1\/2 cups of pitted, mashed\/minced dates (it will start out as about 2 cups of whole dates).<\/p>\n<p>2 3\/4 to 3 cups of other ingredients \u2013 see flavor variations below.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Notes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 bar is about 3 Tablespoons of mixed ingredients or 2 oz.\u00a0 Recipe makes about 13 or 14 bars.<\/li>\n<li>Nuts and seeds should be raw and unsalted; fruit should be unsweetened.<\/li>\n<li>If dried fruit is particularly dry, add a tablespoon of warm water to the food processor as you chop them.<\/li>\n<li>The dates add sweetness and hold the other ingredients together.<strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>In general, you should use a 1.5:3 ratio (for ex. 1 1\/2 cup of minced dates to ~3 cups of other \u2013 mostly dry \u2013 ingredients) in order to bind ingredients together properly. \u00a0You can use either deglet or medjool dates. \u00a0Medjool tend to be a little plumper and stickier \u2013 and are, therefore, easier to chop up. \u00a0But, it\u2019s entirely up to you which taste you prefer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1414\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3A-deglet-vs-medjool.jpg\" alt=\"Deglet vs. Medjool\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3A-deglet-vs-medjool.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3A-deglet-vs-medjool-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3A-deglet-vs-medjool-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Fruit and Nut Bar\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Flavor Variations<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>Add the following to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">one and one half cup of mashed\/minced dates<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Mayan Chocolate Brownie Bar:<\/strong> 1 \u00bc\u00a0 cup walnuts, 1 \u00bc cup almonds, \u00bc cup cocoa, \u00bd tsp each of cinnamon, chili powder, and vanilla extract (more or less to taste)<\/li>\n<li><strong><strong>Coconut Key Lime Bar:<\/strong><\/strong>\u00a01 \u00bc cup almonds, \u00be cup cashews, 1 cup dried unsweetened coconut, 3 Tbsp key or Persian lime juice<\/li>\n<li><strong>Apple Spice<strong>\u00a0Bar<\/strong>:<\/strong> 1 \u00bc cup walnuts, 1 cup almonds, \u00be cup dried apples, \u00bd tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Almond-Apricot Kuchen<strong>\u00a0Bar<\/strong>:<\/strong> 1 \u00bc cup almonds, 1 cup walnuts, \u00be cup dried apricots<\/li>\n<li><strong>Baklava<strong>\u00a0Fruit and Nut Bar<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0(ratios differ here) 2 \u00bc cups walnuts, 1 cup almonds, \u00bc cup honey, \u00bc cup raisins, 1 tsp cinnamon, \u00bd tsp vanilla<\/li>\n<li><strong>Finnish Pulla\u00a0<strong>Fruit and Nut Bar<\/strong>:<\/strong> 1 \u00bd cup walnuts, \u00bd cup almonds, \u00bd cup raisins, \u00bd cup cashews, 1 tsp cardamom (cinnamon can be used instead)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spicy Ginger <strong>Fruit and Nut Bar<\/strong>:<\/strong> 1 1\/2 cup almonds, 1 cup pecans, \u00bc raisins, \u00bc cup minced crystallized ginger (or fresh ginger), 1\/4 tsp cinnamon,\u00a01\/8 tsp cloves<\/li>\n<li><strong>Coco-Cocoa-Cran Bar:<\/strong> 1 cup almonds, \u00bd cup walnuts, \u00bd cup cranberries, \u00bd cup coconut, \u00bc cup cashews, 3 Tbsp cocoa powder<\/li>\n<li><strong>Halva <strong>Fruit and Nut Bar<\/strong>:<\/strong> 2 cups almonds, \u00bd cup pistachios, \u00bd cup golden raisins, 2 Tbsp honey, \u00bc tsp cinnamon, \u00bc tsp cardamom<\/li>\n<li><strong>Orange Pecan Pie <strong>Fruit and Nut Bar<\/strong>:<\/strong> 2 cups pecans, 1 cup almonds, \u00bc cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (or orange zest to taste), 1 tsp mace or nutmeg<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pistachio Cranberry Bar:<\/strong>\u00a0 1 \u00bc cup pistachios, 1 cup almonds, \u00be cup dried, unsweetened cranberries<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strawberry Fig Bar:<\/strong> 1 cup dried figs (stems removed), 1 cup dried strawberries, 1 cup pecans, 1 tsp each lemon, \u00bd tsp vanilla<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Mulberry and Walnut Snack Bars\" href=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/mulberry-and-walnut-snack-bars\/\">Afghan Mulberry Walnut snack bars<\/a>\u00a0(check out the post for details)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4><strong>Preparation<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1424\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars1B-chop-leaving-a-bit-chunky.jpg\" alt=\"larabars1B - chop, leaving a bit chunky\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars1B-chop-leaving-a-bit-chunky.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars1B-chop-leaving-a-bit-chunky-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars1B-chop-leaving-a-bit-chunky-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Chop nuts in a food processor, leaving the pieces a bit chunky.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1417\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars2A-measure-out-spices-and-cocoa.jpg\" alt=\"larabars2A - measure out spices and cocoa\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars2A-measure-out-spices-and-cocoa.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars2A-measure-out-spices-and-cocoa-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars2A-measure-out-spices-and-cocoa-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Measure out spices and other powdered ingredients like cocoa.\u00a0Blend spices into nuts until finely ground and well combined. \u00a0Put nut\/spice mixture aside.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1413\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3B-deseed-dates.jpg\" alt=\"deseed dates\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3B-deseed-dates.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3B-deseed-dates-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3B-deseed-dates-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Pit dates (or check to make sure that your pitted dates do not have any pits leftover).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1415\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3C-chop-dates.jpg\" alt=\"chop dates\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3C-chop-dates.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3C-chop-dates-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars3C-chop-dates-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Mince the dates by hand to the extent possible. \u00a0Powerful food processors can chop them down, but less powerful ones will struggle. \u00a0Smaller pieces are better. Then, chop the dates in a food processor. \u00a0Add in any liquids (vanilla, juice, honey). \u00a0 The dates should become a thick, sticky mass.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1416\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars4A-break-up-dates-and-combine-dates-and-nuts.jpg\" alt=\"larabars4A - break up dates and combine dates and nuts\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars4A-break-up-dates-and-combine-dates-and-nuts.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars4A-break-up-dates-and-combine-dates-and-nuts-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars4A-break-up-dates-and-combine-dates-and-nuts-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Combine dates and nut mixture well, by hand or in a food processor so that the stickiness is well-distributed throughout the mixture.\u00a0You may need to\u00a0work them together with your hands to break the date clumps apart. \u00a0The dryness of the nut mixture will help you do this.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1419\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars4C-Forma-ball-to-see-if-the-mixture-holds-together-well.jpg\" alt=\" Forma ball to see if the mixture holds together well\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars4C-Forma-ball-to-see-if-the-mixture-holds-together-well.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars4C-Forma-ball-to-see-if-the-mixture-holds-together-well-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars4C-Forma-ball-to-see-if-the-mixture-holds-together-well-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Form a small ball with some of the ingredients to see if it is \u201csticky\u201d enough.\u00a0 If the ball crumbles too easily, you can add more minced dates to the mixture until it holds together well. \u00a0You want it to be fairly sticky.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1418\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6-line-bread-pan-and-pour-in-mixture.jpg\" alt=\"line bread pan and pour in mixture\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6-line-bread-pan-and-pour-in-mixture.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6-line-bread-pan-and-pour-in-mixture-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6-line-bread-pan-and-pour-in-mixture-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Once your mixture is ready, line a glass baking dish or bread form if you have one with plastic wrap. \u00a0Pour the date\/nut mixture into the dish and level it out so that the mixture is evenly distributed in the container.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1421\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6B-cover-with-2nd-sheet-of-wrap.jpg\" alt=\"larabars6B - cover with 2nd sheet of wrap\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6B-cover-with-2nd-sheet-of-wrap.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6B-cover-with-2nd-sheet-of-wrap-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6B-cover-with-2nd-sheet-of-wrap-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1420\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6C-tamp-down-bars.jpg\" alt=\"tamp down bars\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6C-tamp-down-bars.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6C-tamp-down-bars-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars6C-tamp-down-bars-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Cover the mixture in more plastic wrap and press down evenly to compress the mixture into a brick shape (about 1 1\/2\u2033 high by 3\u2033 wide). \u00a0To do this, I either take a second bread form and press it into the first and then follow up by using a smaller flat-bottomed tool (whatever I can find) to further press it into shape. \u00a0The goal is to press it as firmly together as possible.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1411\" src=\"http:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars7C-refrigerate-and-cut.jpg\" alt=\"refrigerate and cut\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars7C-refrigerate-and-cut.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars7C-refrigerate-and-cut-595x396.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars7C-refrigerate-and-cut-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Wrap the brick and refrigerate. \u00a0Once chilled, use the plastic wrap to gently pull the brick out of the dish in one piece. Use a sharp knife to cut the brick into slices \u2013 or slice as you go.\u00a0 One serving is about a \u00bc inch slice or 2 oz. \u00a0\u00a0 Rewrap brick or individual pieces.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Happy snacking!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mayan chocolate is probably best known as a delicious, hot, and frothy drink made with ground cacao beans and corn meal and spiced with chiles and cinnamon.\u00a0 This rich but bitter drink \u2013 called xocolatl &#8211; has been around for thousands of years, and only became a sweet treat in the 1700s in Europe. These&#8230; <\/p>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/13-flavors-including-mayan-chocolate-of-larabar-like-fruit-and-nut-bars\/\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1411,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,10,26,12],"tags":[126,19,39,185,38,23],"class_list":["post-10","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-globally-inspired","category-gluten-free-recipes-all","category-snack-foods","category-vegetarian-recipes-all","tag-chocolate","tag-coconut","tag-fruit","tag-how-to","tag-nuts","tag-snacks"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/larabars7C-refrigerate-and-cut.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1710,"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10\/revisions\/1710"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}