I must admit that Halloween is not exactly my favorite time of year. While I hate dressing up and am petrified of horror movies the one thing I do love about Halloween is all the food of course. Like Christmas it is one of those times of year when it is perfectly acceptable to indulge in a sweet treat or three…… These homemade healthy almond butter Mars bars definitely  fall into the category of three or more. One bite and I guarantee you will be hooked or in my case once I tasted the mixture I knew that this was going to be a small batch 🙂 I love recreating people’s favorite confectionery delights and when they are mid way through demolishing them just casually mentioning that they are healthy. If they weren’t already halfway through the batch before this little bit of enlightenment they probably are now! Although I must say from past experience don’t mention the word dates at least not until they have taken a few bites. Mars bars are definitely a personal favorite with their generous layers of morish nougat and buttery caramel all enrobed in smooth chocolate this is hardly surprising. This version below is just as addictive if not dare I say it even more so!. The thick layer of chewy almond butter rich nougat and creamy golden caramel covered in slightly dark chocolate leaves a shop bought Mars bar in the cold. I wouldn’t expect any leftovers if I were you! Almonds are one of the worlds most popular nuts and this shouldn’t come as a surprise due to their stellar nutritional profile.They are a rich source of an array of vitamins and minerals as well as protein, anti oxidants and heart healthy fats. The majority of the fat found in almonds is monounsaturated fat which is famed for its ability to promote good general cardiovascular health as well as lower levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol. In addition almonds are a great plant source of calcium which is vital to maintain strong bones as well as healthy teeth. Almonds also contain other minerals such as magnesium and phosphorous which also promote optimum bone health.