The key to creative usage is to think of the seeds as equals to nuts; with that mindset, the possibilities are vast. Case in point? My pumpkin seed, pumpkin spice homemade lara bars.
I never would have guessed years ago that my homemade lara bars post would become my all-time most popular entry, but it has become crystal clear in the years since that these nutritious, delicious bars have tremendous appeal. Plus, they are so easy to assemble, have almost endless variations depending on the nuts and fruits used, and are far less expensive than the originals (especially when the ingredients are purchased in bulk).
I was about to make my weekly batch on Saturday when it struck me that I could use some of my roasted pumpkin seeds in lieu of the nuts. Granted they would not be raw (original larabars are raw), but I was more than willing to make that sacrifice, especially given that the seeds were a delicious, free bonus from our jack-o-lantern fun. In addition, they are incredibly nutritious (check it out). Free? Delicious? Nutritious? I was in.
The first step is to finely chop the seeds in the food processor. I'm talking pulverize the heck out of them, as they are more fibrous than nuts. Next, proceed as normal following my homemade lara bar recipe. I opted for a combination of dried cranberries and dates, and because I was in pumpkin mode, I added a bit of pumpkin pie spice (a scant 1/4 teaspoon). Autumn yum.
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| I strongly advise against using the pumpkin seeds raw unless you enjoy the flavor and texture of hay. They are also almost impossible to chop. Roast and be happy. |
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| I am partial to rolling some of the bar mixture into balls. Make some mini ones--they are an excellent way to resist the leftover Halloween candy (and kids love them in petite form, too). Other power bar recipes you may like/love: Frosty No-Bake Glo Cakes Big Sur Power Bar Recipes Snack Girl's Energy Bar Recipe Homemade Power Bars with Cranberries and Ginger Chocolate Power Bars |
6 comments:
Wow! What a great idea for homemade lara bars! These look delicious and I'm sure they're way more cost effective than spending a dollar per bar!
Thanks, Anna! So glad you stopped by.
I just made lara bars for the first time, and my dates were super soft... so is the result. Does that mean I need more nuts to firm it up?
Hi Nikki,
Gosh you must have had some super-fresh dates! I admit I have never had that problem before--the paste mixture (chopped dried fruit) is always really thick and sticky for me. But yes, should be easy to "correct" by adding more nuts or seeds. Hope all goes well!
Hello Camilla
Thank you for creating and sharing the HM Larabar recipes. I made your original recipe today for my niece for Christmas - she likes protein bars with berries, cinnamon and dark chocolate. All I did was add the dark chocolate to your original recipe. Very tasty! Now I'm making some for my husband and me too! I used chopped dates and took your advice on soaking them first in warm water. The consistency of the bar is excellent.
I look forward to trying these with pumpkin seeds too!
I enjoy your blog for your down-to-earth, easy and tasty recipes.
Regards
Carolyn
You could make these raw with raw pumpkin seeds if you bought the kind without the shells. They are green in color, but don't taste anything like hay! :)
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