So, after making bacon-wrapped dates, Stephen, while munching happily on them, remarked that he would love to figure out a way to make them “breakfasty” and then remarked something about a larabar.
For those of you who don’t know, larabars are all-natural, gluten-free fruit and nut bars that are insanely delicious. Their ingredients are things like “dates” and “nuts” and all totally identifiable. However, they cost nearly $2 a bar. Thankfully, with a handful of dates and some other ingredients, you can make your own!
There are a million recipes out there for homemade larabars and, after the bacon-wrapped date adventure, I wanted to turn my recipe into a larabar.
Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of the process but here goes.
What you need:
3/4 Cup Pitted Dates
1/2 Cup Walnuts (unroasted, unsalted)
Cooked bacon, Fat trimmed off, Minced (I used the bacon ends I cut off from the wrapped dates)
Some of the rendered out bacon fat from the pan (optional)*
Manchego Cheese (optional)
What you do:
In a food processor (or you can get busy with a knife), whaz up your dates until they are a nice pulpy, clumpy pile.
Dump into a bowl. Don’t clean the processor.
Pour in the nuts and pulse until coarsely ground. Add a bit of the bacon grease, if you’re using it, pulse to combine. It’ll get a little pasty.
Dump into a bowl.
Add bacon bits and, if you want to, zested manchego cheese.
Get in there with your hands and mush it all together until it’s a nice big play-do looking ball.
Taste. Add more bacon grease if necessary.**
Using either plastic wrap or parchment paper, shape into a bar or a log, wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to set.
*I used rendered bacon fat because I was only using the excess ends from the dates I made the day before. When I trimmed off the fat, very little meat was left. If you prefer, you can use solely bacon meat and no fat and the flavor should be fine.
**The bacon flavor does intensify over time. If you can stand to, leave it overnight. It will be amazing in the morning.
In the morning (or whenever), cut it up into whatever shape you prefer and enjoy!
