adapted from Foodie with Family
Prep time: 10 minutes
Set time: 30 minutes
Cost: $2.90 or about .50/long bar
(dates: 1.50, almonds: .75, chocolate chips: .65)
Note: The peanut butter is optional. I've found that you don't necessarily need it if you use a soft oily nut like cashews, but I did use it when I made these with the almonds. So make up your stuff and then see if you need a little extra moisture or not.
2 C whole, pitted dates
1 C raw or toasted almonds or cashews (my favorite, but they were both good) or probably whatever nut you like
1/2 C dark chocolate chips
1 Tbsp peanut butter, option
Put you nuts and chocolate chips in the food processor and pulse until they're crumbly.
Take them out and set aside.
Put only the dates in food processor and process until they start to come together in a delightfully sticky ball.
Add nuts/chocolate back in to food processor and process until it's all incorporated.
If it still seems crumbly, add the peanut butter and pulse until incorporated.
Note: Perhaps you could just throw it all in the food processor together. It seems like it should work and that you'd end up with the same product, but this is how the original recipe instructed me to do it and it came out wonderfully and--cheaper or not--these are still somewhat pricey ingredients, so I've been afraid to try just throwing it all in together for fear it would be wonky and no one would want to eat it. Let me know if you try it.
Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper (for easy removal). Press finished product into the pan. Let set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Cut and eat.
Tip: I store these in a bag or Tupperware in the fridge. They last a long time (at least a couple of weeks, but I'm betting much longer). If you want to actually have them on hand when you need them (instead of having everyone eat them because they're there), freeze them. If you stack them in 2 or more layers, put a sheet of parchment or wax paper between.
Posted by The Tasty Cheapskate: tastycheapskate.blogspot.com