Vegan Paleo Mock Snickers Bars Recipe

Momma Told Me: When you get bored, challenge yourself.

While you certainly see a fair range of indulgent, not so good for you, treats and recipes cross your screen on this blog, I have found that anyone truly can cook scrumptious food. As Paula Deen infers adding a pat of butter to any recipe will surely make it instantly more delicious. And, while out Circus Animal Cookie Truffles have gotten decent traffic on Pinterest, I shudder every time I see or create a recipe that is merely mashing 2 or 3 already delicious ingredients together. Do you drizzle hot fudge on ice cream and call it a recipe? Yes, even I have my limits.

While making indulgent treats is satisfying, and I surely will continue to play with simple recipes that wow the eyes and tickle the taste buds in unexpected ways, I've recently found myself a little bored in the kitchen. I've also recently re-joined a local gym. Before you start congratulating me, I'll be the first to admit getting heart healthy is a multi-part journey and daily workouts will only go as far as overall health and core attainment. I'm not quite ready to turn in my frozen yogurt spoon, but these two ripples in my life have made me more aware of the dietary needs of others around me.
Every Thursday I bake something to share here on the blog, and bring it into the bowling alley for our mixed adult bowling league. Our teams are comprised of men and women, young and old, from all walks of life. As delicious as my sweet treats are, not everyone can enjoy them. We have several diabetics I try to accommodate with recipe variations, and now a team that is taking on a month long Paleo challenge. Couple this with our close friend who is celebrating a year as a Vegan and you have the perfect storm of recipe challenges. So I set out to create a No Sugar Added Paleo Vegan Friendly dessert recipe.

The more I researched the more I learned that several of the key ingredients in cooking for each need overlapped- the exception being Honey, which is considered an animal byproduct to most modern Vegans. For those unfamiliar with Paleo, which is actually a way of living more than a literal 'weight loss' style diet, the terms are fairly flexible to the person committing to it.

At it's core Paleo individuals do not consume processed or artificial foods and attempt to eat ingredients that would closely mimic that of a caveman's. This means a diet rich in protein and nutrient dense core ingredients like grass few beef, wild caught seafood and vegetables. Most Paleo followers will avoid sugar, gluten, and generally anything with 'artificial' in the ingredients list. While it can be fairly complex, depending on the person, consider it close to an Organic, low  sugar, gluten free diet that tends to lean towards raw or minimally handled ingredients.

Many low sugar recipes and Paleo recipes will substitute several typical ingredients with coconut- which can tend to be an allergen for some. If you are suing coconut oil, butter, or flour in a recipe always make the recipients aware when serving. While most coconut allergies deal more directly with the pulp of the plant, raw oils can cause mild allergic reactions and should always be disclosed. If you are cooking low sugar and sweetening with a recipe that calls for honey, but would like a Vegan substitute, in most cases Maple Syrup will be a great alternative. There is also a Vegan apple plant based honey, which is entirely bee free, called Honee, sold online and in many organic or Whole Foods stores.

Acquiring the ingredients to cook just one of these categories (Vegan, Paleo, Sugar Free) will often cost a fair penny. The good news is that you can acquire nearly any ingredient necessary at Whole Foods, or a similar store, and in portions that will easily stretch through multiple recipes. If you're looking to begin cooking, or dabbling with, these categories, consider each shopping trip an investment. Chances are your spice rack wasn't built overnight, and neither will this arsenal of cooking tools.

These Vegan Paleo Mock Snickers Bars contain no added sweetener (aside from the natural Honee plant based sugars) and a dash of Agave syrup may be added to any layer if you desire a slightly sweeter end result. My bowling mates rarely ever question what I've made each week and these bites/bars disappeared quickly! Several people were floored to hear just how 'good for you' this dessert was, and a few even asked for the recipe. So, if you're in the fence, I'd say it's definitely a recipe worth trying. Not only are these the perfect treat (a little goes a long way to satisfy) but they can be frozen for enjoyment later as well! Do you have, or know anyone with, any special dietary restrictions you struggle to cook for?

What Daughter Says: This year I'm going to challenge myself in all aspects of my life, not because I need to, but because I want to!

Vegan Paleo Mock Snickers Bars

*** Click here for printable Mock Snickers Bars recipe.

Less Is More: Clean Eating With Lärabar On The Go

Momma Told Me: Sometimes less is more.


As many of you know, I've played around a lot with Vegan and clean eating over the past year. When a close friend of ours made a dramatic lifestyle change, 2 years back, I was worried everyday events, such as social gatherings and seasonal celebrations, would become hard to include him in. I can only imagine the undertaking of so dramatically limiting your everyday palette, while being so acutely aware of every ingredient in every item placed before you. So I committed myself to exploring what it truly meant to be Vegan, and set out to experience an array of dietary options we could both enjoy during mutual events. I'll have to say I was surprised- eating 'simpler' was not always easy!

When you live a busy lifestyle any commitment to healthy eating or living can seem like a massive chore. I've found the simplest way to begin eating cleaner is to go back to the basics. Most of my best Vegan recipes include 5 ingredients or less, and often have at least one base ingredient in common. I use dates often, not only for their nutritional content, but their texture and binding impact within recipes. And I find, when I limit the ingredients I can not only enjoy the natural richness of flavors, but I fuel my body with pure, clean, energy that satisfies me long beyond a hunger craving.

It wasn't long ago my friend asked if I'd ever heard of a brand called Lärabar, a company that's entire motto revolved around 'food made from food.' I scoffed a little imaging it was another brand committed to non-GMO, preservative free food- which is great, but truly, how all food should be made in my opinion, and nothing too special. As it turns out Lärabars are actually food brought down to it's simplest structure- they're about as 'real' as you can get next to eating the ingredients in their raw forms. Imagine grabbing an apple and some almonds, walnuts, and raisins and heading out the door on a hike- that's the Apple Pie Lärabar in a wrapper. Convenient, delicious, real, food. Period.

My two biggest hurdles to eating cleaner, and healthier, is the lack of convenience on the go, and the cost of keeping delicious healthy ingredients on hand. Cue Lärabar products at Sam's Club. Sam's Club members can now pick up a Lärabar 18ct variety pack of fruit and nut bars or a 16oz Chocolate Macaroons Lärabar Bites bag and keep their cupboards stocked with real, delicious, snacks. For those who have never experienced Lärabar before, the 18ct variety pack is the perfect way to play with fun flavors and try some of the brand's most popular bars like Cashew Cookie, Apple Pie, and Peanut Butter Cookie.

These flavors might sound like indulgent bars from heaven but they're all non-GMO, Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, and Kosher. They also pack a powerful blend of natural fiber and protein to help keep you feeling satisfied and fueled on the go. My favorite, Peanut Butter Cookie, contains just 3 ingredients- 3! And it's so satisfying I actually chop up half a bar for an afternoon snack in a little bowl I like to call 'Peanut Butter And Jelly Protein.'

You don't need to be a master chef to whip up this delicious snack. All you need is about 5oz of Greek Yogurt (I like to use Blueberry Greek), fresh blueberries, raspberries, honey (note: honey is not Vegan), and half a Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar. slice your Lärabar in slivers, then slice each sliver into quarters so you get a little bite-sized pop of delicious chewy peanut butter flavor in each bite. Then layer your Greek yogurt with a sprinkling of Lärabar pieces, raspberries, and blueberries until your bowl is nice and inviting. Drizzle a thin ribbon of honey atop and enjoy clean eating at it's most delicious!

So you might not be quite ready to toss out the soda pop and candy bars from your kitchen, but clean eating can be equally convenient and satisfying for you none-the less. Eating simple, real, whole ingredients is a lifestyle change, but Lärabar makes it easy for anyone to enjoy the fruits of their labor with inspired products that are just as tempting. Not much for bars? Check out their Lärabar bites, the 5 ingredient Chocolate Macaroon flavor is worthy of hiding and hoarding all on it's own. Now, tell me, what's a simple low ingredient recipe or snack you love to prepare and eat to recenter yourself?

What Daughter Says: Real quality ingredients don't need to be dressed up to taste great. Lärabar is proof of that.