Vegan and Flourless Peanut Butter Fudge Bars

Remember these cookies?

I loved them so much, I made them into bars.  And I doubled the chocolate.


You are welcome.

 

 

I've been a major peanut butter and chocolate kick recently.  I think it is all I have been eating.

Oh yeah, there is spinach too, but chocolate and peanut butter have taken over.

If you have to ask why, then go and bake a batch of these and then we can talk. 

Good deal?

 

 

I made my Healthy Reese's Fudge which was arguably much healthier than an actual Reese's, but it still wasn't quite what I wanted in a "creatively healthy" chocolate peanut butter dessert.  Ever since I made those aforementioned peanut butter cookies from chickpeas (and had success!) I couldn't get them out of my mind. 

Beans + peanut butter + sweetener = shockingly good.

So this time, I added a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder and spread a dairy-free-from-scratch-chocolate on top.  Peanut butter fudge cookie bars meets super smooth chocolate.

I'm good at this pairing up thing, huh?

 

 

 

 

Speaking of cocoa powder, I about had withdrawals the other day.  Since I can't have regular chocolate chips, I've been using cocoa powder and sweetener all.the.time.  I told one of my friends I eat 1/2 cup a day.  That might be an exaggeration, but only slightly. 

 

When I got out my cocoa powder container and had to bang it on the counter to get the last teaspoon out (note: don't try this at home - cocoa powder blows everywhere!) it ranked as one of my top cooking crisis's.  I live, sleep, breathe chocolate (NOT cocoa powder, already tried that.  Doesn't work) and besides, peanut butter needs a friend.

 

My awesome Dad went to the store and bought me a can of cocoa powder. 

 

{He's pretty awesome.  He doesn't even like chocolate.}

 

 

 

My cocoa powder is well loved and is used twice in this recipe.  First, in the base, but the dominant flavor is still peanut butter.  Don't worry, there are undertones of cocoa throughout every bite.

 

And then there is my favorite part!  That topping tastes like I melted chocolate chips and poured it over the top.  But it is only coconut oil, honey, and (yep) cocoa powder.

 

Are you mind blown?  I still am!  I think it is the coolest thing!  Because of the coconut oil, it solidifies at room temp and becomes like a slab of chocolate.  On top of a slab of peanut butter fudge bar.  You can store these at room temp, but I highly recommend refrigerating them.  It guarantees that the peanut butter layer stays moist and fudgy and the top layer remains smooth and firm. 

 

Please believe me when I tell you that this doesn't taste like beans.  It tastes like peanut butter and chocolate fudge.  You do bake the base, but it remains so fudgy that we can safely call it fudge.  The beans and peanut butter combine to create a filling and satisfying dessert that tastes like dessert!

 

 

 

Vegan and Flourless Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life
Yield: 12-16 servings

Peanut Butter Bars:
1 can (15.25) fully cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey *maple syrup for strict vegans*
1/4 teaspoon each, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Chocolate Topping:
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 350.
Rinse chickpeas in cold water.
Blend in a food processor until mostly smooth.
Add honey and blend again.
Add peanut butter and pulse a few times.  Don't blend too much or your peanut butter will seize up.
Remove blade and stir in baking powder, soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
Spread into a lightly greased 9x9 pan.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cool.

Related Recipes:

Vegan Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Healthy Reeses Fudge

 

 

Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake

 

 

This post might be linked up at any of these parties.

 

 

Vegan Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

IIIIIIIIIIII'm back!

 

And I brought cookies!
 

Oh, and I also changed the commenting system - let me know what you think PLEASE.  I won't mind if you hate it, it is still growing on me ;)
 

(Crazy long weekends call for enormous amounts of cookies.  Goes without saying.)

 

And not just any cookies - these are intensely peanut butter-y and studded with smooth dark chocolate.  Although they are small, they pack a powerful punch of the world's best combo - chocolate and peanut butter! 

 

Ever since I tried chickpeas in raw cookie dough, I couldn't wait to try a peanut butter version.  Now, I've attempted beans in baking before and it didn't work.  At all.  So I was a little hesitant to try again.  But these cookies are incredible - they might just be my all time favorite peanut butter cookies.  They are thick, but not fluffy, like some bean based cookies are.  These are dense and a little crumbly.  Each bite tastes buttery, without the annoying greasiness of oil.  And there is nothing in the way of the peanut butter flavor; oh, except for the bites of chocolate, but I can't complain there.  I'll let you in on a little secret -

 

these have no butter

 

or oil

 

or flour

 

and, even though I love eggs, there aren't on the list either. 

 

Vegan chocolate chip peanut butter cookies.  That taste like chocolate chip peanut butter cookies.

 

Totally and completely true.

 

I love mini things and I wish I could say it was for the cute factor.  I'm pretty sure I like them because I can eat three or four or ten.  I'm pretty sure I did just that with these.

 

They are that good.

 

No one will guess they are healthy.  You could eat them for breakfast!  But I really don't like the title breakfast cookies - it makes me think of oat and banana and applesauce.  Don't get me wrong, I really like all of those ingredients, but not when I want something for dessert. 

 

These are healthy enough for breakfast but really and truly taste like dessert. 

 

Vegan Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Source: My Whole Food Life
Yield: 16 cookies

1-1/4 cup chickpeas, cooked
1/2 cup peanut butter + 2 tablespoons
1/3 cup honey *maple syrup for strict vegans*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.
Drain chickpeas and rinse well with cold water.
Blend chickpeas in a good food processor.  (I used my Ninja)
Add peanut butter and honey and blend a couple times until smooth.  (Don't overblend or you'll "burn" your peanut butter)
Stir in baking powder.
Roll into balls; dough will be sticky, but that's okay.
Place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Press chocolate chips on top of cookie dough.
Bake for 12-14 minutes (mine were done at 12 minutes)
Let cool for a couple minutes.
Serve warm (amazing!) or let cool completely (also really good!)

How to Make the Best Homemade Fudge Energy Bars (gluten, dairy, and cocount free)

Welcome to my no bake kitchen.  Because me and the oven have been best of enemies the past week.

 

(funny story about this photo - see the cocoa powder everywhere?  yeah, so I was trying to set a spoonful down on the cutting board, to look all professional, you know? and I lost my balance and flipped the spoon.  hence the cocoa powder everywhere.  my life story)

Ovens need time to heat up. 
Baking needs precise amounts of baking soda.
Cakes and cookies need planning ahead for prep work and cooling time.

Read:  Idonothavetimerightnow.  Or skills - obviously!

I tried a sponge roll cake.  I tried homemade bagels.  I messed up little details on both.  *faceplant*  I DID make these cookies and these cookies, but they weren't blog material because I've already posted them. 

So I stuck with what I know, however uncreative it may be.

No bake energy bites.

 

(don't you just want to finish that bite???)

I am in a not so creative rut right now (hence the lack of posts!)  But I have made these so often (I don't even measure anymore) and this last batch was so good I decided to go ahead and share it with you ... and since I didn't have anything else.

So today I'm going to break down why these are the best homemade fudge energy bites and how you can make them at home, too!

First up: the dates.  aka the key to refined sugar free energy bites.  Dates are the sticky sweetness that makes these taste like a dessert.  And without them, your energy bites will fall apart.  They contribute all of the wet ingredients that hold these bites together.  As for nutritional value, dates are a pretty good source of fiber, especially compared to honey and white sugar.

Next: the almonds!  All nuts, when blended enough, become like a butter.  I don't do that with the almonds in this recipe, but I blend them enough so that their natural fats create a thicker, firmer mixture.  Thanks to the almonds, these energy bites have a nutty, stick-to-ya factor.  You want to make sure you have at least 1:1 ratio of nuts to dates in these kind of recipes.  Otherwise, you will have a wet and sticky hot mess on your hands.  Trust me from multiple experiences.  And, almonds pack a big punch of healthy fats, and protein. 

Third on the list: oats.  Although oats have a bad rap thanks to clumpy lumpy bowls of oatmeal, these energy bites will have you taking back any nasty comments.  Instead of the traditional flour, oats are a hearty gluten free option.  They soak up any extra moisture, ensuring you don't have a wet and sticky hot mess described above.  They aren't usually used in Larabar or Clif bar copycats, but I like the chewiness that oats add.  Plus, they are a great source of fiber!

Finally, our choc-o-la-tay!  On to the goods!  Cocoa powder is an awesome substitute for flour in recipes where you want more chocolate oomph.  It serves the same purpose as the oats in terms of adding body to the energy bites, but it is obviously for the fudge factor.  When cocoa powder combines with dates, you've got a major fudge thing going on.  The rich and chewy fudginess is so darn good!  I use a hefty three tablespoons, but these aren't bitter (also learned from previous experiences) thanks to the dates and the ...

... Dark chocolate chips - don't you dare point to these little beauties and slam these energy bites as unhealthy.  Dark chocolate is good for you (or so I hear ... and tell myself as I eat half the bag) because of all those antioxidants.  (I honestly have no idea what they are but I hear they are good for me.)  And seriously, dark chocolate chips taste amazing. 

Blend those all up, with a little water to make it smoother, and roll into balls. 

Instant fudge gratification. 

These are some of my favorite things to make.  We're talking serious fudge truffles here!  When I want chocolate, I don't want to wait 45 minutes for brownies.  Now I don't have to.  These satisfy my random chocolate fixes in five minutes AND keep me fueled all morning and afternoon ... and afternight. 

In. Love. 

Homemade Fudge Energy Bites
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life
Yield: 12 bites

1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup oats
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Water

In a good food processor (I used my Ninja) blend the dates with 3 tablespoons of water. (It is okay if they aren't super smooth)
Add almonds and oats and blend again.
Add cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and 1-2 tablespoons more water.  (Start with 1 tablespoon water and if you need more, add the second tablespoon.)
Roll into 12 balls.
Enjoy healthy fudge bliss.
If you have any, store leftovers in refrigerator.

Flourless Lemon Cookie Dough Truffles

I'm late to the Valentine's Day party.  Sure, I made some pink foods, but I missed the day completely.  So, even though this is late, I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!  Something I've realized is that whenever there is love, there is always conflict.  How many times do we see conflict?  Like, all the time, right?  I've always had conflict between cookie dough and the flavor lemon.  I've never made lemon cookies.  Or lemon cookie bars. 

But now I've made lemon cookie dough truffles.

Absolutely no conflict there.

 

I've never had cookie dough that didn't have peanut butter or chocolate  so this was a totally different sense for my taste buds.  Cookie dough that was tart!  The truffles have the texture of cookie dough, but more textured.  The oats and the beans create a dryer texture that is balanced by the lemon juice and honey.  So it is still moist and thick, but has the sweet and sour that we all know we love, even if we won't admit it. 

These will have you singing your praises, no matter what your former preconceptions of lemon cookie dough might be.  Or cookie dough made from beans.

Ok, yes, these are not your normal truffles.  But you really can't tell, unless you are really looking for a different texture.  The flavor is unaffected, but it is a little more textured.  These truffles aren't completely smooth, but I like having a little chew in my cookie dough.  Between the oats and the beans, these are packed with fiber and protein.  If I worked out, these would make a fantastic post workout snack ;)  And if you are like me, they make an incredible "I'm hungry and want something sweet while I'm reading a good book" snack.  I've eaten almost the entire batch, with a little help from my siblings.  It is hard work sharing amazing little cookie dough truffles like these.  *pops another in mouth*

 

 

Conflict - I feel like I've had way too much of it this past week.  There will always be things I don't agree with, but this week, I've seem to run into my fair share.  I'm grateful we live in a country where we have the freedom to agree and disagree and I'm grateful God made us differently.  If we were all the same, we would never learn anything new.  But sometimes, I wonder how other people don't see things the way I see them.  Life isn't as black and white as I believe (I'm incredibly black and white ... it has its advantages and disadvantages)  I get that.  But being open minded and gracious are not my strong points.  I read a couple years ago how any conflict is the opportunity to choose the right thing.  I always seem to remember that after I say the wrong thing, but no matter how I act, it is still true. 

God has really been showing me that He had to endure all sorts of conflict while He was on earth.  I mean, look at His interactions with the Pharisees.  Could there have been more annoying people?  They were constantly creating grey areas into black and white areas and vice versa.  Yet He treated them with grace.  Even if He was pointing out their error, He was doing it in love.  I know I have the power of Christ to treat people with love. I don't like choosing to.  But if I can make cookie dough out of beans, and make cookie dough lemon flavored, then I can choose to love people, despite the conflict I find unavoidable. Christ's love is based on unconditional love and I can't make the love He gave me conditional simply because I don't want to.  I'm sure being crucified wasn't on Jesus' "want to" list.  But He did it because He loves me.  *sigh*  I have no right to go to death over things like sports or end of the year parties.  What is important is being gracious and loving.  I want to be remembered for that, not for being right.  Valentine's Day is a wonderful reminder that love is true love is selfless and gracious, no matter what.

Flourless Lemon Cookie Dough Truffles
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life
Yield: 14 truffles

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3/4 cup oats, ground into a flour
1/2 cup sweetener (I used 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup white sugar)

Drain and rinse chickpeas.
Blend chickpeas with lemon juice and zest in a food processor until smooth.
Add oats and sweetener and blend again. 
Scoop into one tablespoon balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Freeze for 10 minutes.
Remove from freezer and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
Put truffles in an airtight container and store in refrigerator. 

Notes:  The truffles are stored in the freezer first to firm up the dough.  Then they will be fine in the fridge.  You can't continue to store them in the freezer or they will be too hard to eat. 

Four Ingredient Valentine's Healthy Coconut Butter Fudge (vegan, refined sugar free)

Hi everyone!  TGI ... T. 

Whatever, close enough!  You know how I was so ready for the weekend last week?  And a day with nothing going on?  Well, God answered that selfish prayer by dumping a whole city full of snow around here and shutting down the schools.  Even though I'm homeschooled, I do have some classes outside the home, and there are many things that get canceled when school gets canceled, so I've had several days with absolutely nothing to go to.

Can I just say how much joy that snow brings me?

Let me amend that:  Can I just say how much joy that snow brings me when I'm admiring it from inside?

(read: I DON'T like shoveling)

Isn't it gorgeous?  Yeah, try shoveling a quarter mile of it ... without a plow.  Somehow, because of how our house and driveway are placed, the wind blows two to four feet high drifts all along our circle and driveway. 

Dad takes the snow blower up and down the driveway and us kids are in charge of the circle.  We spent a good hour and a half clearing part of it, just so Dad could go to work. 

I *kind of* over did it ... and now typing and writing and basically anything requiring movement of my shoulder and hand hurts.  I had to prove I could shovel just as much as Nathan.  And I did.  Aaaand it hurts.  P.S. Did you know that with the wind, it was -20 degrees yesterday? 

Since we've had so much time to kill inside, I taught Abigail to knit.

Note: Unless you want to start a full time knitting school, I wouldn't recommend showing a 6 year old how to knit. 

She has knit herself a scarf and headband and also some for two of her friends. 

I can't say no, even if she does ask me to help her every couple minutes.  I find it funny that her yarn is Valentine's themed.  It was not on purpose!

 This is coconut butter fudge.  It is also Valentine's themed.  And it was on purpose.  I can't lie.

Isn't it gorgeous?  Try shoveling 5 pieces in your mouth at once.  It sure beats shoveling three foot drifts!  Contrary to the color, this is not strawberry or bubble gum flavored.  It is straight up sweet fudge.  There is a little texture from the coconut because mine was homemade.  The dominant flavor is the coconut and honey and the fudge texture was spot on.  An easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth in a good-for-you way.  But shhh, no one would ever guess.

Healthy Coconut Butter Fudge
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life
Yield: 10 pieces of fudge

2/3 cup coconut butter (mine was homemade and very firm)
1/4 cup honey
3 Tablespoons dairy free milk
2 drops red food coloring

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. 
Press into a small, foil lined pan.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting and serving.
Enjoy!

Avocado Chocolate Mousse Blackberry Fudge Tart (dairy free, gluten free)

Roses are red,

Raspberries are too,

But I'm choosing blackberries,

It's time for some blue!

(Cheesy poem #2 - this is why I bake, not write!)

 

Raspberries rule the roost come February. Everything is pink or red - or a dark chocolate. In keeping with the formal theme, I kept this tart lusciously smooth and dark, but instead of using the traditional raspberries, the chocolate pairs with juicy dark blackberries.  I layered some between the crust and the chocolate fudge mousse layer, but also placed some on top.  Blackberries are a little tart, a little sweet, but still seedy and juicy like raspberries.

 

This tart is very untraditional in several other ways.

 

One:  There is no dairy or gluten.  There a lot of hard things in this world and I've come to know that getting a recipe to follow both of those guidelines is no piece of cake.  But this tart is both and it doesn't sacrifice any richness.  Period. 

 

 

Two: That tall, dark, and handsome filling?  (Okay, skip the tall and handsome)  It gets all its creaminess from the power food, the avocado.  Do you love avocados?  *If you don't, I'm covering my ears and singing la-la-laaaaa.*  Where were we?  Avocados ... these are some versatile little fruits (they are also known as alligator pears, for their skin, you know?  You learn something new every day - thank you Google for enlightening me.)  Blended with cocoa powder, sugar, and a little vanilla and coffee, avocados become the richest, thickest, fudgiest mousse I've ever eaten.  And I've eaten a lot of it recently, telling myself I'm somehow prolonging my life or something like that.  I hope I get something out of it, because I've (literally) eaten three whole avocados in less than a week.  Just in this recipe.

I've made chocolate avocado pudding, but for this recipe, I omitted the milk and upped the cocoa powder, creating a thicker and firmer texture.  It is almost like cheesecake.  But I can't call it that, because the title clearly states this is a fudgy mousse ... and I created that title, so yeah, consistency is good!

 

 

And the crust is easy peasy.  Simply oats, coconut, almonds, some coconut oil, and honey.  I didn't bake mine, just stuck it in the fridge, but I bet if you stuck it in the oven (probably 350) for no more than 8-10 minutes, the crust would hold together better and have a deeper, nuttier flavor.  As it is, this is my favorite gluten free crust because of all the textures.  It does NOT taste like a pie crust, but it does taste like a delicious tart crust!  The nutty, crunchy, chewy crust pairs so well with the creamy, sweet, and rich chocolate filling.  And the blackberries, don't forget the blackberries!

 

Avocado Chocolate Mousse Blackberry Fudge Tart (dairy free, gluten free)

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life.  Adapted from Fresh Fit n' Healthy

Yield: 2 servings

Crust:
1/2 cup almonds
1/3 cup oats
2 tablespoon unsweetened coconut shreds (sweetened will work as well)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/3 cup honey

Filling:
1-1/2 avocados
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

1/4 cup blackberries

For crust:
Pulse almonds, oats, and coconut in a food processor. 
Pour in melted coconut oil. Add honey.
Pulse until mixture forms a ball.
Press into two small tart pans.
Place in freezer for 10-15 minutes.  Or bake at 350 for 8 minutes. 

For filling:
Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. 

Tart:
Divide blackberries between two crusts, sprinkling over the crust.
Spread filling over the blackberries.
Serve or chill until serving.

 

No Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Crack Bars {Gluten Free}

Hey there!  How's everyone doing? Before I get to the recipe, I thought I'd share some highlights from my week.

Summer has been moving fast this year. Something is going on every day, yet I love the flexibility of summer that lets you just get together with people for the fun of it. Although I have enjoyed lots of activities this summer, I haven't had very much time with friends.  So getting to spend a couple hours one on one was a blast.

Golf tournaments are over!  Now that I've been playing for a while, I really wish it would keep going. We finished the two day championship yesterday and although my score was exactly the same as last week, I felt like I had improved. Just wish my score could reflect my feelings;)  It was incredibly hot, but playing consistently made it really fun. 

Sewing lessons!  I've finished a couple baskets and we are almost done with skirts. I'll post pics of those soon. I've really enjoyed getting to sew and be creative in that way. 

Vacation Bible School was this past week and I truly enjoyed it. It was great meeting and leading with other kids my age from our church and also getting to be a crew leader. My group was all boys and one especially was a piece of work. There were times when he would blatantly disobey me and other times just throw his arms around me in a hug. I couldn't ever decide if I wanted to clobber him or hug him back:)  Call it being stretched and challenged. Although I got so many sympathetic looks and comments, this little boy was what I needed. It was a really great VBS. 

And I made these bars. 

I'm gonna cut to the chase and let you know, I think these are illegal.  They are that good.  I remember Mom coming home after lunch and looking in the pan, saying, "Wow, these must've been popular!"

Uh well, you see ... I was the only one who ate any:)  My siblings were interested in finishing up the zucchini bars, but I wanted these. 

Just FYI, peanut butter and no bakes are goners around me.  So much so, that there was enough gone from the pan that my mom thought my many siblings had had their share. (Don't worry, they did come to their senses and finish what was left of the pan for me.)

These are sweet, very peanut buttery and crunchy. The first day they are very crunchy, but the longer you let them sit, the softer the chex and crispies get, almost making them better. They are still crunchy, don't worry, but the peanut butter and corn syrup mixture has soaked into the chex. Seriously, I don't know why these are so ridiculously addictive, but they are. I haven't eaten half a pan of something in a loooooong time.
 

 

No Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Crack Bars {Gluten Free}

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life. Yield: 12-16 servings.  Adapted from Averie Cooks

1 heaping cup peanut butter
1/2 cup corn syrup (light colored, not lite)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla 

1-1/2 cup Rice Krispys cereal 

2 cups chex (rice or corn)

1/4 cup chocolate chips

2 teaspoons shortening

Lightly grease a 9x9 pan. 

On the stove top, chine peanut butter, corn syrup, sugars, cinnamon and vanilla. Cook on low heat until combined and smooth, about a minute. Remove from heat and stir in chex and rice Krispy treats. Immediately press into prepared pan. 

Let cool for about 5 minutes. While it is cooling, melt chocolate chips and shortening. (I put them in a ziploc bag and microwaved it for about 15-30 seconds.  Then, I sealed the bag and squished the chocolate chips and shortening in it. Then I cut one of the points and piped the chocolate on.  Ifthe  chocolate is too runny, go ahead and let it cool and firm up before piping it on. But however you do it is fine!)  Spread or pipe  chocolate topping onto cooled bars.

Note:  Apparently, rice krispies are NOT gluten free.  After reading this article, you can eat them if you are not celiac.  I am not gluten free, so please, do what is best for your diet!

Cut and serve or store in an airtight container. 

Like I said, peanut butter no bakes are some of my most favorite things ever.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bites

Pretzel Buckeyes



Fudgy Walnut Butter Sprinkles No Bakes

Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Apple Raisin Larabars

This weekend has been pretty crazy. 

Saturday was Field Day for the Hunter's Safety Class.  I was NOT happy about it.  Hunting isn't my passion and now I had to read this 200 page book about it and spend 7 hours outside learning about guns and hunting?  What!  I don't hunt and now you want me to go expose myself to the whole world?  Yes, embarrassing as it is, that's why I did not want to do this.  So Friday night, at 9:30, I made Dad come and show me how to load a gun, because I was not going to be the dummy who didn't know how to. 

What is so ridiculous is that the whole reason people take this class is because they want to learn how to.  Its not a test on your already acquired skills, its designed to teach and help you.   I cannot stand feeling unprepared and I know that is why I was nervous - I didn't know what to expect and was not ready to adopt the "go with the flow" attitude.  But I enjoyed it.  Let's just say the instructors probably wouldn't have put me and my brothers together based on shooting accuracy, but it was a fun day.  It didn't drag because the instructors were passionate about what they were teaching and we got to trek over fields, shoot every type of gun possible and practice archery. 

I was prepared, just in case I didn't like the field day, I would at least have a really good snack.  Wasn't necessary, but hit the spot anyway!

Okay, and after that, I got to go watch Gracie qualify for Westerns!  Regionals was in Wichita and now she is going to compete with the best gymnasts of her level in the west coast.  Pretty cool, huh?  I was thrilled to finally get to see her compete.  Then we stayed up all night (well, part of the morning too: /) talking, doing . . . stuff, and having a blast.  I forget how much I miss her until we get together and then one night just isn't enough.  I love seeing her and she is way more energizing than any homemade Larabar.  She has to be!   

My grandma's sister dehydrates apples and gives them to us every Christmas so we have bags if them, but store bought should work just fine. Larabars traditionally use dates, but raisins work well with apples and are cheaper. I love it when your wallet is happy and so us your tummy. Fruit is so sweet naturally and these are crazy good. Eh, they might be kinda fallish, but we don't really have to go there. The base is in the raisins and almonds, but the oats add body and chewiness while the apples and cinnamon meld it all together. There are a bazillion jillion chocolate Larabar recipes out there, so I decided to try something different and was really pleased with the result.  

 So there was my weekend!  Guns, gymnasts and granola-ish larabars!  (Sorry, I just had to use the "g" theme!)

Apple Raisin Larabars

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life

Yield: 4-5 large bars

1/4 cup old fashioned oats (use certified gluten free oats to make this gluten free)

3 oz. almonds

3 oz. dried applies

3 oz. raisins

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

dash of nutmeg and allspice (optional)

Cover raisins and apples in water for a couple minutes.  Grind oats and almonds in a food processor until fine.  Drain apples and raisins and add to oats and almonds. Add cinnamon, (and nutmeg and allspice, if desired) and process until mixture pulls into a ball.  Add water by teaspoon if necessary (in case your fruit was really dry.)