Coconut Bars / Hand Scrub?! *Repost from old site*

I got this idea from thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com; used mostly the same ingredients, but switched up the ratios because I didn’t want it to be too date-heavyI soaked the almonds overnight- I have read that soaking (“sprouting”) nuts makes them easier to digest.

You might notice this recipe is very fat-heavy and probably has a lot of calories- be not afraid! For one, these bars are quite filling, so I don’t find it difficult to eat them in moderation. Secondly, almond and coconut are so good for you!  Well, almonds are kinda good for you; they do have calcium, magnesium, & some protein, and coconut is believed to be antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal, among many other things.


8 organic Medjool dates, pitted
1.5 cups raw soaked almonds
¼ cup +1 TBS melted coconut oil(I like Nutiva brand)
2 TBS honey
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (this will give the bars a little lemony essence; can be left out if you don’t want that)

-Grease a small baking dish (9x9) with 1 tbs coconut oil
-In food processor, combine half of almonds, dates, remaining coconut oil and honey, pulse till it’s pretty smooth (like a chunky almond butter). Scrape into medium mixing bowl. 
-Add coconut flakes and stir with a wooden spoon. When you see this isn’t working too well, get your hands in there and combine everything. This should be pretty moist and the consistency of a stiff cookie dough, and should hold together pretty well if you squeeze a handful of it (it will set up pretty well in the fridge later). If it’s not holding together, stir in a little more melted coconut oil (it gets solid at room temp, to that will help it firm up).
-Dump it into your baking pan, and press down firmly so the mixture is really packed down, then cover with plastic and pop it in the fridge to set up for at least an hour.
-The most important part! Go by your sink, and before you rinse off, give yourself a little hand massage! The almond and coconut will exfoliate your hands, and the fats from the nuts and coconut oil are a great moisturizer. You can even use coconut oil on your skin for everyday use if you feel so inclined (I recently started using a little on my hair as a de-frizzer).
-Once they set, you can cut into bars (3x3 squares seemed pretty easy to handle). Be careful when you lift them out of the pan; they’re a little delicate. These can keep in the fridge for six days according to the original recipe, enjoy!