Vanillanutberry Candycake Bar of Power

I know, the title.  It's been a long day.  No one helped me, so, it is what it is.

Toddler finally napping now, but we ended up making the bars together.  He really helped!  He measured cashews, pulsed them in the food processor, dumped in organic soy protein powder, helped me take all the seeds out of the Medjool dates, turned on the food processor by himself with everything in it and let it run to make the dough (best part).  He tested for food safety, thoroughly sampling each ingredient: dates, coconut, chips, dried strawberries, and cashews.  He smelled the vanilla and coconut extracts to ensure their potency.  He made me cut the bars out in circles (well, some of them anyway) and then he ate the chips off the tops and took one bite of the rest.  Then he fell asleep.  Now he is sleeping. It is 5:00 p.m. Oh well.

I will need to eat about three or four of those power bars to keep up with him after this power nap is over :-).

I used Hannah Kaminsky's recipe for Good to Go bars with the following substitution & add-ins:

Substitute: Non-GMO Organic Soy Protein Powder (I use Wegmans brand) for the veggie powder, or another vanilla flavored or plain soy-based protein powder.

Add:
2 Tablespoons of sweetened (or unsweetened) shredded organic coconut
2 Tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberries, coarsely chopped
1/8 tsp coconut extract
2-4 Tablespoons white or dark chocolate chips

They are DELICIOUS.  They also freeze very well, just wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in plastic bag in the freezer.  We just use them directly out of the freezer.

Some pictures:

Here is the dough:

Here are the "bars:"

Now, I've got to run guys, will post more soon.  Lots of good stuff in the works.

Later! Dawn