Homemade Energy Things

So, this title is a bit vague, but I have no idea what to call these things. Basically, they are a bunch of dried fruit and nuts mushed up together into a delicious whole.

I like to pretend that they're healthy, because they're vegan and made of fruit and nuts, but in all honesty, they're incredibly high calorie (since they are packed with sugar and some fat from the nuts). So think of them as an energy bar (like a Larabar, which is definitely my favorite kind of energy bar, but whatever). But these are great snacks to pack for a hike or something like that. Or you can just sit on the couch at home and eat them like candy. Your choice.

Really, these could be made with a combination of your favorite stuff, or whatever stuff you have taking up space in the pantry (which is pretty much how I came up with this recipe). I do however think that some fruits work better than others. I almost always make mine with a base of figs or dates (they seem substantial enough to hold these things together without being too sweet or overpowering. But that might just be me).

Dried Fruit and Nut Balls

1/3 cup walnuts
1/3 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup dates (pitted)
4 dried pineapple rings
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries

~1/2 cup dried coconut (unsweetened)

Put all the dried fruit and nuts (except the coconut) into a food processor. Blend until it forms a mass (it's not going to particularly homogenous, but it will definitely stick to itself).

Now comes the messy part. Take this paste-like mass and form it into balls. I usually make them about 1 inch in diameter. But make them whatever shape or size you want). Take these balls and roll them in the coconut to coat.

Store these in a tupperware container in the fridge

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Movie time! So, I'm assuming if you spend any time on the internet and are interested at movies at all, you've probably heard of Moonrise Kingdom. But that's not going to stop me from joining in with the masses and saying that it's fantastic!

The basic plot layout is deceptively simple: a boy and a girl run away from camp and home, respectively, to be together. But it is done in Wes Anderson's typical style (though, to admit, I've only ever seen 2 other Wes Anderson movies, but after this I want to watch them all). The humor is very straight forward and blunt, and occasionally a little dark, but always hilarious. One of my favorite characters is Edward Norton's scout master, who vainly struggles to control his pack of rowdy khaki scouts (essentially boyscouts). He's incredibly compassionate and tries to do the right thing, but is, in reality, pretty much useless.

Along with the fantastic humor and the wonderful characters, the visuals are perfect. It's set in Maine in the 60's, and the visuals perfectly capture a nostalgia for a beautiful, kind of pastoral, past for coastal Maine. All the costumes are wonderfully vintage, and the choice to film it in a way that looks like it's from the 60's was brilliant.

And, of course, it doesn't hurt that this movie has a ridiculous list of awesome actors in it (Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman), and the new young talent doesn't disappoint either.