Larabars use date palm for the sweetener, but I substituted that with maple syrup, which is easier to use. Knead all the ★ ingredients well.

(It will be easier to use a blender)

If the prunes are hard, soak them in hot water for a while to soften them. Make sure to drain the water off well before using them.

Adjust the softness of the mixture with the maple syrup and cocoa powder. It will be more nutritious if you can get raw cocoa powder.

Add chopped dried apricot, other dried fruits, chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds and knead using a spoon.

Shape while pressing the mixture tightly together using a small cookie cutter or sticks. Using disposable plastic gloves is also helpful. You can also gather the mixture in a mound to slice and portion it out.

When cutting the dough, it will be easier to cut if you gather the mixture into one clump, store the mixture in the refrigerator for few hours to harden before slicing.

I used a spam musubi maker for the one in the picture by pressing the mixture into it, then slicing it up. They are mini-sized bars that are about 4-5 cm in length.

Store them in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

I heard in the news that there were certain preserved prunes that were found to exceed pesticide limits, so I recommend using organic prunes.

You can find organic and low-fat pure cocoa powder or organic dried fruits on the internet.

I heard that raw food diets involve eating organic, unbleached and uncooked food to take full advantage of the ingredients' nutrition. I heard that it's trending in New York right now.

I like the crunchy texture of the nuts, so I use them as they are, but you can soak the nuts in water over night and drain the water before using them, too. Make it as you like.

If you want to reduce the amount of syrup to use, add more prune, which will make it easier to bring together.

Using only prune and adding erythritol (sweetener extracted from the luohanguo fruit) for the sweetening is also delicious. (Be careful not to use unhealthy sweeteners)

You can also get imported puréed organic prune in a jar, so you can use that, too. It is less sticky.