Homemade Peanut Butter Laura Bars

I absolutely love Lara Bars.  I think they taste like a candy bar, and I love that I don’t feel guilty after eating one.

I also love that they are called Lara Bars, because when people are confused about how to say my name, I  can just say, “it’s pronounced like Lara Bar.”

Honestly, y’all, I feel a little torn about whether to write about the bars or write about my name.

But I can’t bring up the name thing and not talk about it.

So here’s the deal… My name is Laura… but seriously like 90% of people call me Lora.  And I pretty much can’t stand it.  I always say I’m going to just stop responding when people call me Lora, but then I feel like a bad person.  But seriously, it’s frustrating (especially when it’s people in my life that should know and care enough to at least say my name correctly).

First of all, that’s not my name.  But second, people always say, “but it’s spelled like Lora.”

And I will argue over that until the day I die.

I went to school with a Lori growing up… Spelled just like that…

And I went to college with a Lora… Spelled just like that…

Because that spelling is what makes the “or” sound.

And I also knew plenty of Laura’s pronounced just like my name… La-ruh.

Plus, it’s not even logical (in the english language at least) to say that “au” largely makes an “or” sound.

August. Audible. Augmented. Sauce.

What about Paul?  People aren’t going around saying his name wrong.

Anyways, my name is Laura (like a Lara Bar or La-ruh), NOT Lora.

So I am calling these my homemade Laura bars.

And I just think it’s so clever.

If you’ve never had a store bought Lara Bar, you should definitely try one, but then make these at home.  They taste exactly the same- and I would never lie to you.  Also, if you have already purchased Lara Bars, you know that they are typically anywhere from $1.25-$1.75 a bar, depending on the store- and that seriously adds up FAST.  These homemade Laura Bars come out to be $.33 a bar.  Yes, you read that right- THIRTY-THREE CENTS.  You can’t really beat that!

Another plus?  They are super super simple!

Two ingredients.

Well, three if you count the couple of tablespoons of water!

Literally, these little treasures are made of peanuts, dates, and a tiny bit of water.

And all you need to make them is a food processor, a baking sheet (unless you just want to do it on the counter), and some parchment paper.

The one thing that’s important to note is that if you want these to be clean, you have to pay attention to what peanuts you buy.  My husband and I were shocked a few weeks ago to read the label on a jar of peanuts and find about 14 ingredients listed.  The second one was MSG.

So, check your labels, make sure you are getting peanuts that have only two ingredients (peanuts and salt), and feel good about your Laura Bars.

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Homemade Peanut Butter Laura Bars

Here's What You Need

• 14 Medjool dates or 20 small California dates
• 2 c peanuts with salt
• 2 tbsp water

Here's What You Do

1. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until well combined. It should look like a grainy paste. You will yield a better result if you put the dates on the bottom on the peanuts on the top. Add an extra tablespoon of water if you find that your paste is too thick.

2. Spread onto parchment paper (it will be very sticky). Place a second sheet of parchment paper across the top and press the paste firmly to make even.
   

3. Place in the refrigerator for approximately 20 minutes. Remove and cut into squares.
   

4. Store in an air tight container for one week or freeze for up to one month.
   

5. Enjoy!
   

Recipe Notes

1. **I buy the LARGE container of peanuts at Costco for $5.83. The only added ingredient is salt, and this is the most cost effective way to go!

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