Natural food bar and colours.

Hello Spring,

You have a way of creeping up on me rather quietly. 

Then one day, as I was busy going about my business, I smelled you and saw you in all shades of colour. 

And wondered why I hadn't noticed the signs - longer daylight hours and neglected scarves and jackets.

So I think it's about time to bid farewell to the slippy, drippy, nippy winter and make room for some showery, flowery and bowery times ahead (yes I remember my nursery rhymes).

I'm looking forward to days of ice-cream after dinner, unsightly tan marks, pizza parties, hiking trips and possibly some pollen allergies. 

Thanks for coming on schedule year after year and please make yourself at home!

-V

Below are some of my recent Spring snapshots in 'rainbow'!

{red}

Spring is like a doting mother dressing her babies with red flowers. 

{orange}

Drive into the orange sunset (in a convertible with flowy scarf and immaculate hair. Maybe only just the flowy scarf part.)

{yellow}

Banananana...they still cost an arm over here! But of course that didn't stop Mae and I from a banana bake-off!

{green}

Another delicious breakfast food = green zucchini fritters. And some sour cream.

{blue}

True Blue! Did I tell you how pretty my city is?

{indigo}

The stigma of this flower is indigo, right? I often get indigo confused with purple or navy (because they never taught me this colour in kindergarden, so totally excusable!)

{purple}

This purple lavender greets me every morning as I rub my fingers against its leaves for the lingering smell.

I need to declare my love for this natural food bar (almost like those museli/nut bars you find in the supermarket but is less processed = much healthier for you.) 

Being one of the few Asian kids growing up my area in NZ, Mother used to pack muesli bars in my lunch box when I wanted to fit in with the rest of the kids, as eating things like sheets of seaweed didn't exactly fly off with the others in primary school.

I really think I would've preferred this yummy homemade version.

This power energy bar is made of few simple ingredients: dates, almond, cocoa, walnut, and salt. I sometimes use nuts like cashew or pinenut, and add a bit of peanut butter too! The best thing about these is that you can try a gazillion flavour combinations with different ingredients and they are just sooo quick and cheap to make. 

I will be packing these energy bars to accompany me for the Spring hiking trips - I think they will make me more popular than in my primary school days. ;)

Chocolate PB Almond Dates Bars 
Adapted from Delightful Delicacies

• 1 cup whole almonds and/or walnuts (or mix of nuts as you prefer)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened, optional)
• 1 cup dried dates (whole)
• 2 tablespoons natural unsalted peanut butter (optional, but I find it binds the bars together better)
• pinch salt

Chop the almonds in a food processor until you have a mix of chunk sizes. Add cocoa and pulse once. Add dates, salt and peanut butter and pulse until well combined.

Line a loaf pan with wax or parchment paper, press fruit and nut mixture into the pan and press down firmly. Remove from the pan, cut into bars, and wrap individually in plastic wrap or wax paper, tie with string.

Store in airtight container inside the refrigerator or freezer.

Makes 8 bars