Do you ever find yourself living two or even three different lives?  

I do.  I feel like one person as I walk out the door to work, spending the day thinking about law.  Then, I transform into a different person while at home, getting flour all over my kitchen as I bake or sitting at my computer, thinking and writing about food. 

I recently read a quote by model Cameron Russell in Self Magazine that I can’t get it out of my mind.

“I think our society is moving away from this notion of one career. Now we’re all, like, a million things.”

How. True. 

I don’t know about you.  And maybe I blame my mid-twenties-stage-of-life.  But, I spend a lot of time figuring out what kind of life I am supposed to live. That job I’m meant to be in. The one thing I will do forever.  Shouldn’t I know by now? Isn’t there such a thing? 

But you know what?  Maybe doing one thing is not even such a thing.

After taking my last bite of dinner the other night, I put down my fork… when suddenly a homemade fig & cherry bar invaded my mind.  I began to picture a recipe - what the bars will look like - the Larabar-like chewiness they would have - how I would label them if they would be sold.  

Sure, I had other things I needed to do… but for 10 minutes, I HAD to create this bar.  And at the first bite, they tasted exactly they way I pictured as I sat at my kitchen table.  

So hey, maybe one day my baking self will sell one of these to you. :)

Fig & Bing Cherry Bars  {grain-free}

1 cup unsalted cashews (I prefer them roasted)

½ cup raw almonds 

1 cup dried figs  (stems removed and chopped) 

2 tsp. coconut oil

½ cup dried bing cherries, no sugar added (I buy these at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s)

Pinch of sea salt

Directions: 

- In a food processor blend the figs until finely chopped. Add the coconut oil. If your figs are on the drier side, soak in very hot water for 10 minutes before pulsing in the food processor. 

- Blend in the nuts until combined. Add the sea salt and dried cherries and process until the mixture comes together.  It should hold together when you pinch it.  If it is too dry, add more coconut oil. 

- Line a small 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Press the mixture out in the pan until smooth and refrigerate for two hours or freeze for 30 minutes until it has hardened.  Invert onto a cutting board and peel off the parchment. 

- With a sharp knife, cut into rectangles and individually wrap with plastic wrap. I store these in refrigerator for up to a week. 

If you like figs, cashews & dried cherries…

These, my friends, are your jam.