Copy Cat Lara Bars

School has driven me to this thing I shamefully call the granola bar, fruit leather, and vitamin water diet.  How it works is I eat a smoothie for breakfast, and throw a variety of granola bars and fruit snacks in my bag for my lunch and dinner the rest of the day.  This habit is problematic for a few reasons... namely I get hungry and cranky, my groceries get expensive, and let's face it granola bars and dried fruit don't quite complete the food pyramid (whatever the current pyramid is filled up with).  Half of my grocery bill is typically made up of Luna bars, Cliff bars, Lara Bars, etc (Have you eaten the caramel nut brownie Luna bars?? oh my goodness they are divine.  And yes I know they aren't actually that healthy...)  Now, I realize I can't quite duplicate Luna's caramel nut brownie bar with ease, but I can copy Lara Bars with only a few simple ingredients.  And since I can... I did :)

Festive Green Beans

I have a soapbox I admit I frequently stand upon.  I HATE casserole.  If a recipe has condensed soup, sour cream, or any other slooshy, gushy condensed canned wanna-be food I refuse to eat or cook it.  So, come holiday time when green bean casserole is at every event I get a little queasy.  This fresh, colorful green bean dish is my answer to green bean casserole.

• 1 lb green beans, ends trimmed
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• ~6 strips bacon
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large dry skillet,  roast walnuts until aromatic.  Set aside in a bowl.
2. Add bacon to the same skillet and cook until crisp.  Remove bacon strips to a paper towel, and roughly chop.  Over medium heat, add green beans and garlic to bacon grease.  Saute green beans until they reach desired tenderness (if you like your green beans extra tender you may steam them first to ensure they get very done).  Add cranberries, walnuts, bacon, and maple syrup, stirring to coat.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat, and serve.