Although I definitely took advantage of the empty kitchen while my parents were on a mini-vacation this weekend, I’ll admit that my innovation and creativity were not particularly high. Sure, I followed a couple of recipes and had an especially productive Friday, but I’ve been itching to try something new. So when I came home from a trip to Trader Joe’s with a package of delicious Medjool dates, my mind instantly began pondering the creation of some kind of raw (or nearly raw) bar.

Now, obviously this is not my invention. I adore Larabars, and although I’ve yet to try Angela’s Glo Bars, they look amazing. And lots of other bloggers have come up with similar concoctions lately. Averie’s shared some scrumptious-looking Raw Vegan Donut Holes while Katie’s Fudge Babies are taking the blogworld by storm. What with these girls’ creations and the availability of tantalizing raw bar and cookie recipes in raw food books, it’s clear that this is a dessert variety that’s definitely in vogue at the moment.

And that’s okay. I felt like I was in good company when I was in the kitchen experimenting with my own version of raw(ish) bars. I enjoyed the results of my personal experimentation, and it’s fun to think about all the variations I could try in the future, taking inspiration from all the other wonderful bloggers out there who’ve made their own contributions in this realm. So without further ado, here are my Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie VeggaBars!

Aren’t they cute? Inspired by the adorable mini Larabars (trick or treat sized, perhaps?), I made a bunch of tiny bars along with some circular “cookies”. If I owned any cute smallish cookie cutters, I definitely would’ve utilized them! These are yummy little nuggets of flavor, a fusion of the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in Ani’s Raw Food Desserts and a Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar. It seems silly to post a “recipe” for these, but I’ll do it anyway.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie VeggaBars
Ingredients
3/4 cup dates, pitted (I used a blend of Medjool and presoaked regular dates)
1/2 cup peanuts
1/4 cup oats
pinch salt (optional)

Add dates and peanuts to food processor; process until peanuts are roughly chopped. Add oats and salt and pulse until combined. Remove “dough” from food processor, roll it out, and cut or shape as desired!

Easy as pie, and thrice as healthy. Yum!