What's Cooking? Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew Squares

Today I found the most amazing, delicious recipe!  It is a copy-cat recipe for KIND bars - chewy, slightly sweet, nutty and packed with protein!  You can find the original on the blog http://www.theyummylife.com/Homemade_KIND_Bars.  The directions are super clear and the blogger (Monica) has recipes for eight different varieties.

I need to bring a "healthy" treat to an activity tonight so I thought I'd try these bars.  I had most of the ingredients and played around with substituting those I didn't have.  The results were better than I hoped for!  I cut them into squares for the activity...smaller, bite-sized pieces are better than large, substantial bars.

Here's my adapted recipe for Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew bars/squares -

• 2 cups whole unsalted almonds, coursely chopped (I used my VitaMix)
• 3/4 cup unsalted cashew pieces
• Combine nuts and spread onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
• Pour into large bowl.
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• 1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup craisins, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup Rice Krispies
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed 
• Add these to bowl with nuts.
•  
• In 2 quart sauce pan mix the following-
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• Cook over medium high heat until a candy thermometer reaches 260 degrees.  
• Remove from heat and  pour over nut and fruit mixture.  Stir quickly and thoroughly.
• Scrape mixture into greased 9x13 pan and press down firmly so the mixture is tightly packed.
• Wait about 15 minutes.  Turn upside down onto cutting board and cut into bars or squares.
• Drizzle with chocolate (The recipe says optional but I say necessary!)
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  Needs chocolate!

  
  
• FOR CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE (optional) -
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Combine chocolate chips and oil in Ziploc quart freezer bag.  Microwave in 20 second increments (for a total of about 1 minute), kneading and mixing chips after each 20 seconds until thoroughly melted.
• Snip off tiny corner of bag and drizzle chocolate over bars/squares.  
• When chocolate has set, eat! 

Melting chocolate in a baggie is so much easier than in a bowl!  Less clean-up afterwards too!

For variations as well as very helpful tips and photographs, I hope you check out Monica's wonderful  blog!