Raw Strawberry Walnut Bars

Raw Strawberry Walnut Bars
Raw; Gluten Free; Vegan

I made these for San Antonio Vegetable Eaters 5th annual Happy Christmas Hangout and these were a hit! You know it's a great recipe when you don't get to even try it and everyone is still talking about the dish days after the event. This festive easy recipe is a crowd pleaser!

Crust and Topping:
1/2 cup of walnuts
1/2 cup of almonds
1 cup of dates


Filling:
1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup dates

For the crust and topping
1. In a food combine all of the ingredients and pulse until course. Divide mixture in half and set aside.

2. Continue to combine the ingredients until well combined.

3. In a blender combine strawberries and dates until smooth.

4. Layer the well combined nut/date mixture in a parchment paper lined 9x9 dish. The second layer will be the strawberry filling. Sprinkle the course nut/date mixture over the strawberry filling and gently press down. Freeze for 1 hour to set.

Kitchen Tips....

Kitchen Tips

Well, over the weekend I helped with a Plant-Strong presentation. And this question came up (and has a lot in the past) "How much time do you spend in the kitchen?" So here is a list of tips that help me get through the process (especially when I'm making on average 2 new recipes a night). Yes, there is a fight (not really-but yes) for Bruce to get a repeat recipe. Most of time it will happen when I'm at a loss or just tired....

I measure everything out... (What I mean, is: the spices that go into the recipe together, will go into a bowl or a cup together.)

I will do the soaking or the shredding in the morning... (I'm a morning person so I get started with the prepping in the morning. This also works if you are a night owl, get it started the night before.)

Make a Meal Plan... (I go to the farmers market and then plan out my meals in my head. I have friends that make out the meal plans and then go shopping. If that means buying the already cleaned and sliced veggies, then do it-it may be more expensive.)

Ask for help... (I think one of the most intimate things people can do is cook together.
I will ask Bruce to help to chop, or I'll help my friends during a girls night in.)

I've learned 2 recipes are the max that I can do. If I shoot for 3 I tend to get frazzled, now if I can get the boys (Bruce included) to keep the fridge clean, neat and tidy. I can tell you, I get frustrated when I get covered in olive juice....

Kitchen appliances to invest in:

Food Processor (I use mine almost all of the time. When I say that, I've used up to 4 times in one day. Anytime a recipe calls for something roughly chopped, I pulse it in the food processor. I love it and not really sure why I put in the pantry.)

Rice Maker (Moving to Colorado, I haven't been able to master the art of making rice, pearl barley or quiona. My mom was never able to master it either, however in Texas no problems. Bruce invested in one for me, so I wouldn't have to stress over the fillers in certain dishes. Plus, mine shuts off by itself and is one last thing I have to worry about.)