Farabar/Larabar

I know I have mentioned this many, many times and you are all, without a doubt, sick to death of hearing me repeat myself, but I am MADLY in love with Larabars (see my Larabar video review). Most extra-specially, the Cashew Cookie and Coconut Cream Pie flavors. In fact, I've considered requesting that my Curly body be entombed for eternity with a bar in each hand.

My wallet, on the other hand, is not so fond of my weekly bar binges at Trader Joes. The miserly billfold tends to weep profusely all the way to the checkout counter and I am unfailingly overwhelmed by a strange sensation in the pit of my stomach. At $1.29 a pop, two times a day, getting my fix costs me an almost suicidal $20 a week. Every day is a constant battle between my favorite shade of Andrew Jackson green and my love of those little bundles of fruit + nut joy.

Or shall I say was.

I get the vast majority of my bestest ideas in the shower. Maybe it's the acoustics. Maybe it's the high concentration of reflective surfaces. Maybe it's the only place in which I lack the ability to do any sort of multitasking (although in high school I listened to recordings of PBS history documentaries or French language tapes) and can therefore give my curlified brain enough empty space to breathe. Who knows. (But if from this porcelain palace commeth Pbu, who can question its power?)

Regardless, it was during yesterday's post-gym wash up that two sparks of nerves connected and sent signals to my curly body parts to get down to the kitchen, break out the food processor, and try my hand at recreating the treat causing me so much grief. Considering that the packaging lists a grand total of two ingredients in my favorite Cashew Cookie flavor, I decided to start there.

Basic Farabar*

Serves 4 bar-crazed individuals

1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw almonds
2 oz dates (two good-sized dates)

Dump all ingredients into the machine of death.



Grind. Grind some more. Grind until the nuts and dates turn to a sticky mess, but stop before it becomes a true paste. Press mixture flat in a large pan.



Chill in fridge.

Enjoy the delicious taste of money in the bank.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 43 g (1/4 recipe)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 207Calories from Fat 125
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13.9g21%
Saturated Fat 2.0g10%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 3mg0%
Total Carbohydrates 18.8g6%
Dietary Fiber 3.1g12%
Sugars 10.3g
Protein 5.5g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 4% • Iron 9%

Not only were my little renditions so close to the originals they would fool Mark Bittman in a blind taste test, but they cost me a grand total of 26 cents apiece. Two bars a day, at 26 cents a pop, equals a weekly total of around $6. My estimated yearly Larabar total in a single year would equal $1044. Using the same equation with my new Farabars saves me at LEAST $700 annually (Which just might be enough to re-tile the Thinking Place in pale cream subway tiles).

Farabars are highly flexible. The only key ingredients are nuts (for substance) and dates (their gooey texture acts as a glue to keep everything in one piece and the natural sugars are the secret to achieving Larabar-esque deliciousness.

Some other combinations to try:

Coconut- Cashews, Dates, Coconut flakes

Mocha- Almonds, Dates, Unsweetened Cocoa powder, espresso powder

Chocolate Chip Cooke- Cashews, Dates, Miniature Chocolate Chips

Now it's your turn. What is your best idea for a Farabar flavor combo?

*FYI-Replacing the first letter of a noun with an F automatically indicates the French precursor faux, meaning fake ie Fushi (Faux Sushi), Fam (Faux Ham), or Felling (Faux, Emily-style spelling). An exception to this general rule is the name Mocktail (ie my Pom Wonderful Mocktail recipe)which is used because the alternative, Focktail, is apparently not a socially acceptable term.

I'd say goodbye now, but my mouth is currently otherwise occupied consuming a Pbu smothered Farabar and is unavailable for service.

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