Yoda Bars

My cousin Laura has been making these yummy bars for us for a while. I originally found the recipe at the blog Thinking Outside the Box.

She calls her granola-type bar: Walnut, Coconut & Cinnamon Bars. We have termed them Yoda bars because Laura served them as such at her son's Star Wars themed 5th birthday party. My kids love them, they are freezable, portable and just delicious. We have a hard time keeping them around. Here is the recipe (if you want to see step-by-step photos go here:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 & ½ cups of dates

• 1 cup of walnuts

• 2/3 cup of desiccated coconut

• ½ tsp cinnamon

METHOD:

Soak the walnuts for several hours and dehydrate until dry and ‘crispy’ (about 24 hours).

Place the dates in a food processor and work until they are completely mashed and form a ball. Place into a mixing bowl. Next pulse the walnuts and coconut in the food processor until they become pretty fine but not a flour. Add this to the mixing bowl together with the cinnamon.

I do this in the VitaMix. I do the walnuts and coconut first and do not rinse. The nut powder helps the dates not stick so much. Then, cut up dates first and put in 2-3 at a time. Run in the dry container if you have one at speed 7.

Working with your hands knead the ingredients together well. Then divide the mixture into six equal sized balls.

Mould each ball into the shape of a bar with with your hands. Then using a piece of non-stick paper on a flat surface press the bar against the surface on each of its edges to form a fabulous firm bar shape!

Repeat with each ball of mixture.

Wrap the bar in a piece of non-stick or greaseproof paper and seal with a little tape. Refrigerate. If freezing, put in freezable bag.

The recipe makes 6 bars. I have made another two varieties with pecans or brazil nuts instead of walnuts.