Raw Vegan 3 Ingredient Lara Bar-Inspired Ball Recipe
Do you need to bring a quick dessert to a party? Or do you want a healthy snack that you can whip up in a jiffy? Here is a recipe that requires no baking, is fast, tasty, and best of all, is TOTALLY healthy for you!
Last summer I was on a short road trip with a group of friends. This car ride changed my life. Seriously! On that car ride my friend Jen gave me a Peanut Butter Cookie Lara Bar. It absolutely rocked my world! It was so good, and I looked on the back of the label for ingredients and saw it only had three ingredients: dates, peanuts, and salt. Really?!? I COULDN’T believe it. With only 3 ingredients, I thought I could attempt it. After that trip, I was on a quest to find out how in the world to make a “Homemade Lara Bar”. That’s when I discovered Chocolate Covered Katie.
The Lara Bar introduced me to the wonderful world of dates. Yes, dates!! Using dates is a great way to create “no sugar” and gluten free recipes since they bring a sweetness to every bite and they are the glue that holds ingredients together. Dates are really amazing! If you haven’t “baked” with them before, you really should give them a chance. I have been buying them every week at WinCo in the bulk section now, where they have THE best prices for dates (and for the walnuts, too). The whole pitted dates only cost $2.40/lb.!! At Fred Meyer the pitted dates were $8/lb., and Trader Joe’s they were in the $4 or $5 range with the pits, and it was the pits to pit them, let me tell you.
The variations and helpful hints:
- Pinch each date to make sure the pit is removed even if you buy “pitted” dates. Those pits are SO hard that you could break a tooth, don’t ask how I know. Okay, I didn’t break a tooth, but it felt like I could. And I don’t want that to happen to you on my watch, okay?
- After processing all the ingredients, you can add chopped pecans.
- Add 2 T of cocoa powder to make what I call, Chocolate Lara Balls.
- Besides walnuts, I have used pecans, almonds, cashews, peanuts, and/or a nut butter for the nut.
- You can also add 2 T of protein powder, and shape into bars as pictured below.
- I often double the recipe or make 1 1/2 times the recipe.
- If the mixture is too moist, gradually add more oats, roll in coconut flakes, or roll in cocoa powder.
- If the mixture is too dry (this has happened to me when my oatmeal comes out too fast), add more dates.
I am not a vegan, but on the quest for better health, you simply can’t ignore some excellent, nutrient dense vegan fare. Updated 1/15.
Raw Vegan 3 Ingredient Lara Bar Ball Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of dates
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/3 cup oatmeal use certified gluten free oats if needed, or you can omit the oats. The balls will just be more moist.
Instructions
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Blend all ingredients in a food processor until the mixture forms one big ball.
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Remove, and roll into 1 inch balls.
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Enjoy!
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Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
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What type of dates do you use? The big Majool or the smaller ones referred to as baking dates?
Hi Heather, I just use the dates in our local grocery store bulk foods area, and they don’t indicate the specific type of date. Sorry about that!
These look fabulous! I’m pinning…and actually making!!! 🙂
I bet you love them! Thanks for visiting!
These sound great! I’m pregnant and on the lookout for healthy sweets to curb my sweet tooth. Love this.
Hi Jelli, We absolutely love this recipe. It’s easy to swap out different nuts, and it’s a nice sweet, natural treat. Blessings on your new little one to come!
These look so yummy! I’m always in need of a healthy filling snack! Stopping by from Healthy 2day Wednesdays
Thank you for sharing these with us at Raw Foods Thursdays! I love raw cookies. Love the simplicity and pureness of your recipe. I’ve made a similar one with cashews…definitely not frugal though! Walnuts sound yummy, and much more economical!
I love you… Have I said that before? If not, well I do 🙂 Thanks for sharing this, Sonja. I love dates and have been wanting to get more into using them for things like this and this recipe is just too darn easy not to try. Thanks again. Another pin! 🙂
Hey Sarah, Dates seriously have changed my life! You’ll love it!!
Mmmmm….these wouldn’t last long in my house!! Thank you for sharing on Fit and Fabulous Fridays! 🙂
I’m getting ready to head to the kitchen to make some of these today. MMMM! Wanted to let you know I’m featuring this recipe as a personal favorite at Weekend Potluck this week (opens on Friday). Please come back soon and bring along another one of your wonderful recipes. http://www.thebetterbaker.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for the feature!! I really appreciate it! I’ll be back.
So excited to try a Lara Bar. They look yummy! Thanks for sharing on our “Strut Your Stuff Saturday”. Hope you come back next week. -The Sisters
I follow Choc Covered Katie and am learning to make many dishes with dates…love all the combo varieties for making larabars…this will be made and scarfed up soon. Thanks so much for sharing at Weekend Potluck!
You are welcome!
I just love seeing all your recipes….my sister to used work for the company that produced the Lara Bars so I used to get them all the time. I saw a recipe to make them awhile back but never did….now you have inspired me to do it. Thanks.
Cool! That would be so great to have Lara Bars all the time. Let me know how they turn out when you make them!
I keep seeing Lara bars everywhere now and I’ve never made them before because I didn’t know they were so easy! Thank you for sharing your recipe at Thrifty Thursday! Come on back next week 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! I plan on returning! I bet you will love them.
Yum! Thanks so much for sharing this quick, healthy and frugal alternative to packaged snacks at Thrifty Thursday!
You are welcome. Thanks for hosting! I’ll be back!
I love Lara Bars! I need to make these ASAP!
I had not eaten a Lara Bar in 5 months, and then I had one last week on a trip. It was good, but not as good as the fresh homemade ones. I am sure you will love them!!
I’ve seen raisins used before, but I haven’t done it. Does it taste “raisiny” at all?
Pecans taste really good in these too! I have also used raisins when I have been out of dates!
Yeah, Sonja has snuck pecan halves in the middle for a little surprise. I love this dessert, big time. Raisins instead of dates? Hmm. Good tip. Gracias!