September 4, 2012

Do-It-Yourself Larabars

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Being a college student is hard. Being a Cornell student is even harder. But being a girl at Cornell is the absolute worst. Not only do we have to cram literally hundreds of pages of information into our brains on a daily basis, but we Cornellian women are also expected to look good while doing so. Not. Fair.

It is most definitely a double standard that guys can walk around campus in sweatpants and still look socially acceptable, but girls cannot; however, it is also a standard that women hold their own gender to. That being said, I think that it is time for some solidarity, sisters. This will be the year that we start off on the right track, and end just as strong. Believe me, when my first prelim of the semester rolls around, I will most likely be passed out on my floor surrounded by empty Domino’s boxes with cheesy bread in my hair. But in the meantime, it is all about those little steps that you take each day to become a healthier person that make all of the difference.

My housemate, Paige, is one of those freaks of nature who genuinely loves to go to the gym. The other day, she was being dead serious when she told me that she actually gets excited to go on the elliptical. Like I said, she’s a freak. Still, her unnatural amount of self-motivation has rubbed off on me, and now I work out most days of the week. This new routine of daily exercise is the reason that I have been eating breakfast every morning, and a healthy one at that. Protein bars, like Larabars, are great for providing the nutrients and energy that you will need in order to stay active and focused in classes all day long. And even better, it is ridiculously cheap, quick, and simple to make energy bars in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Homemade LarabarsAdapted from Foodie With Family

Ingredients4 cups whole, pitted dates2 cups raw or toasted whole shelled almonds1 cup chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (or almond butter)

DirectionsPut the almonds in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add in the chocolate chips and blend until chips are also finely chopped. Put the mixture into a bowl and set aside.Process half of the dates in the food processer and process until it clumps together into a paste. Add in 1 tablespoon of nut butter and half of the almond-chocolate mixture, and process until evenly combined.Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, and put the mixture from the processor into the pan.Repeat the mixture process with the remaining dates, almond-chocolate mixture, and nut butter. After processed, put this mixture into the pan also. Cover the pan with parchment paper and use something flat to press down firmly on the mixture until it is smooth.Refrigerate for 2 hours or more, and then slice into desired sizes. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container.

Original Author: Michelle Kim