Memphis Travels and Vegan Fig Bars

Two weeks ago I got to travel to Memphis for work with my team  (we visit Memphis and the smaller town of Millington a few times a year).  While Memphis may be known for BBQ and southern cooking, I have found a few veg-friendly spots that we frequent whenever we are in town: 

"Regenerator" juice from Cosmic Coconut

The Cosmic Coconut -  All-vegan juice and smoothie bar located off of Poplar Avenue between Midtown and Germantown.  In addition to the array of juices and smoothies, the Cosmic Coconut also offers food - soups, a few sandwiches, kale salad, and raw treats.  I have tried quite a few of the juices and smoothies and all have been delicious.  My favorite juice has to be the "Regenerator" -  a blend of beet, carrot, apple, kale and WHEAT GRASS (such an awesome addition to a juice).  The kale salad, which is massaged with their house dressing, is another menu item I have liked.  They also offer grain bowls which change daily.

Veggie Tempura sushi from Kobe

Kobe - Who would ever think you could find a decent sushi joint in the tiny town of Millington, Tennessee?  Definitely not I, but Kobe is a true gem in the rough.    Even the non-veg folks agree that the best roll offered is their Vegetable Tempura roll with sweet potato and asparagus.

Olympic - Another favorite spot in Millington. My co-workers like that they can get plain grilled chicken here, and we all love their baked sweet potatoes.  I bring along some nut butter and order the sweet potato (extra large, please) for my meal.



There is also a Whole Foods one mile from our hotel so my co-workers and I always make a stop to stock up on healthy snacks such as fruits and veggies, trail mix, and energy bars. 

I love to bake for my co-workers, and I don't let travel stop me from doing so.  I contemplated what to make for this trip - granola? healthy Chex mix? oatmeal cookies?  I wanted something that would serve as both a breakfast and an afternoon snack.  In my search, I stumbled across a recipe for vegan fig bars that sounded both nutritious and delicious.   Best of all, I had all the ingredients on hand.  Score!

These bars surpassed my every expectation.  I am not normally a cookie/cake/bar person - I'd much rather indulge in some undercooked (vegan) brownies and raw cookie dough, or a big bowl of vanilla (banana) soft serve.  I made these bars on Friday night and by the time I left for Memphis on Sunday, half the batch was gone.  While I can't quite put my finger on what makes these bars so amazing, I think it has something to do with the fact is that they remind me, in the simplest way, of the Fig Newtons of my childhood.  Don't let that comparison fool you - these bars are much more complex, way more wholesome, and one hundred times more tasty.

As I mentioned, the ingredients are fairly basic: dried figs, dates, maple syrup,  oats, applesauce, almond milk, coconut oil, and spices.   The only not-basic part of the recipe is making the fig filling for the bars.  I'm sure if you wanted you could use any store bought fruit butter or jam, but let me tell you the effort is worth it if you have the time and resources to make the homemade version.

This is another recipe from Gena over at Choosing Raw.  Go check it out and do yourself (and maybe your co-workers or your family) a favor and make these today!