Why do we write about food? 

Last week marked my fifth year writing this blog and each year, I discover more reasons why I keep it going. (Because as I sit up late at night writing posts about granola and smoothies…there must be good reasons, right?) 

For me, food writing and blogging makes me think about food in a deeper way. It inspires me to try foods I may not have tried otherwise.

You may not realize this when you first read a blog post - scanning them quickly, as your eyes dart straight to the recipe. But, there is a lot of person in a post - whether it be your friend or a stranger you’ve gotten to know by their daily blog posts.  It’s a look into their life.  

I spent a few nights last week sitting alone at the kitchen table.  I finished eating dinner and I had two variations of these cacao bars in front of me.  Very similar, but one had walnuts and one had pecans.  I bit into one…let it melt in my mouth, as the intense chocolate flavor dissolved on my tongue, as if eating fudge.  I closed my eyes and thought about the flavor. Then I swallowed, drank water and tried the next one. Comparing it with the previous one.  

This example alone is proof that by blogging about food, I’m more aware of the food I am eating.  

It makes me stop, look at the food, think about the flavors, ingredients and how it is affecting me.  

Now, if I wasn’t writing this blog post, I don’t know if I would have sat at the kitchen table after dinner and compared my versions of these bars.  But then again, these are so good… .I probably would.

I’m sharing these with you because these bars prove that whole foods taste really really good.  That, and just can’t get over these bars.

Cacao Nut Bars 

½ cup heaping cup chopped almonds. roasted  

½ heaping cup chopped pecans or walnuts 

1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 

1/3 cup Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

3 tablespoons raw cacao powder 

½ tsp pure vanilla 

pinch of sea salt

1 tbsp. coconut oil

Directions: 

- In a food processor, blend dates with nuts until processed, a few minutes. The nuts should still be in small pieces.

- Add coconut and the remaining ingredients. Add a bit more oil if it seems too dry. It should be a bit crumbly but stick together when pinched. 

- Put the mixture in a small square 8x8 baking pan, lined with parchment paper.  Let chill in the refrigerator or freezer until firm, and then cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

It you fall for chocolate cravings, these will be your jam.