This post was written before Callan came along. In fact, I was writing this while in labor! Turns out, these were the BEST snacks to have around in the early weeks of having a baby. I had no idea how hungry breastfeeding would make me. I would wake up in the middle of the night desperate for food and these were perfect bites of healthy calories.

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I’m still working on stocking up freezer meals and snacks for Baby Ruf’s arrival. My focus last weekend was quick snacks packed with energy. I made Granola Chews, LARABARS, and Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites (recipe coming soon).

My baby doc appointments are in Annapolis which is just over an hour drive from our house. Every time I have an appointment, I have to stop at Trader Joes to stock up. This time, in addition to my normal purchases, I was in search of ingredients to make homemade LARABARS. Really, I just needed some nuts, dates and figs. Somehow, I walked out with nuts, PRUNES and figs. I swear I had dates in my hand!

So, in my attempt to make LARABARS which are typically made from dates, these ended up with prunes. I knew the flavor would be slightly different but the texture should be fairly similar. And since my next appointment isn’t until after my due date, and I’m not making another trip to TJs, I figured I’d give it a whirl.

Success! Next time, I’ll try dates but this is a good substitution, especially if dates are hard to find. I also want to try different flavors and various consistencies. Coconut, cherries or peanut butter would be awesome!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 C raw, unsalted, mixed nuts (I used a combination of pecans, cashews, almonds, and Brazil nuts)
• 1 C prunes
• ½ C figs
• 1 Tbls coconut oil
• 2 Tbls cocoa powder
• 1- 2 Tbls water
• pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Add nuts to food processor until finely chopped.
2. Add prunes, figs, coconut oil and cocoa powder. Pulse until fully combined.
3. Add water, 1 tsp at a time, until mixture starts to come together.
4. Press mixture into a mold. (mini muffin tins, casserole dish, cookie sheet, etc.)
5. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
6. Remove bars from mold and slice to desired size (if needed).
7. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze.

NOTES
Adapted from Colorful Palate and Avocado Pesto.