Spring Cleaning - Fiber Filled Cereal Bars

Not only is this spring cleaning recipe one that cleans out your cupboards, but it just might be one that cleans you out, as well!  I chose to use a high-fiber cereal because I had an open box in the cupboard* but you can use any type of healthy cereal.  You’ll need 4 cups total and can mix and match any way you want.  You can also get creative with different dried fruits, add nuts or chocolate chips, or experiment with different sweeteners or nut butters.  My choices were based purely on what I already had open in the cupboard and refrigerator and the result just happened to be delicious!  I forgot to take a picture before they were gone so you’ll have to use your imagination, although they probably look like any other cereal bar you’ve seen.  Go ahead - make them and enjoy!  (But I caution you not to eat too many at once or you may regret it.)

Fiber Filled Cereal Bars
(based on this recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups oat cereal (I used Cascadian Farms Purely O’s)

2 cups high-fiber cereal (I used Barbara’s High Fiber Original)

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup plus 2 tbsp. almond butter (I used Trader Joe's salted with roasted flax seeds)

½ cup brown rice syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine cereals, cranberries, coconut, and cinnamon.

2. In a medium bowl, combine almond butter and brown rice syrup.  Microwave for 1 minute on high.  Add the vanilla extract and stir well.

3. Pour liquid over the cereals and stir well to combine.  

4. Press into an 8x8-inch baking pan.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.  Putting them in the freezer for 45 minutes will help speed up the process.

 

* Plus I just love fiber!  In some circles I am known as "The Fiber Queen."

PB Energy Bites

I’d like to share another cereal bar recipe with you.  This is one that’s been in my collection for as long as I can remember.  I have no idea where or when I got it and I’ve tweaked it here and there over the years.  Be aware that with the agave, brown sugar, and dried cranberries, there’s a lot of sugar.  If you eat too many, prepare for a crash later on!  This time I used natural oat cereal (instead of Multigrain Cheerios, which the original recipe calls for) to cut back a little on the sugar.  If anyone has any other suggestions for reducing the sugar – but not altering the taste too much – please let me know.

Although the recipe says to cut into 16 bars, I can’t say that I ever get 16 servings out of this.  My latest batch didn’t last the weekend!

PB Energy Bites
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups oat cereal (I used Cascadian Farms Purely O’s)

1 ½ cups plain granola (I used Back to Nature classic granola)

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup agave nectar

¾ cup natural creamy peanut butter (I made my own in my Vitamix)

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, combine cereal, granola, cranberries, and coconut; set aside.  Spray 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. In small, microwave-safe bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Microwave on high for 45 seconds or until peanut butter is melted.  Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture and toss to coat.  Firmly press into prepared pan and cool completely, about an hour.  (The refrigerator will speed up this process if you can’t wait that long!)

Cut into 16 bars.

NOTES:

1.    The bars are rather crumbly and I think upping the peanut butter to 1 cup would help this.

2.    You can use any combination of dried fruits or try adding chocolate chips. 

A Kinder Rice Crispy Treat

For as long as I can remember, I was a huge fan of Rice Krispie Treats.  My mom used to make a killer peanut butter version when I was a kid.  In college I ate the regular marshmallow kind like they were going out of style.  After turning vegan, I sadly waved good-bye to the gooey treats.  Sure, there are some vegan versions out there that are pretty decent - Glenny's and Trader Joe's both make some.  I've heard the Sweet and Sara ones are good and I once made some with with Dandies vegan marshmallows. 

A few weeks ago I finally got around to making the Crispy Peanut Butter Treats from Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet.  Actually, I used almond butter because I didn't have any peanut butter on hand.  Plus, I had an unopened jar with a fast -approaching expiration date.  Next time I'll use peanut butter because I think it will be a more pronounced flavor.  Anyway, they were really tasty.  The brown rice syrup makes them super sweet but that's the way I like my desserts.  I'm not saying that if you close your eyes you'll think you're eating a "real" Rice Krisipie treat, but they are a delicious, healthy, and kind alternative.

You can also find the original recipe on Alicia's blog, The Kind Life.  Here it is as I made it:

Crispy Almond Butter Treats With Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:

1 box crispy brown rice cereal

1 jar organic brown rice syrup

3/4 cup salted almond butter with roasted flax seeds

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Trader Joe's almond butter with roasted flax seeds, Erewhon organic crispy brown rice cereal, Lundberg Sweet Dreams organic brown rice syrup, and Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Pour the whole box of cereal into a large bowl.

2. Heat the syrup over low heat, add almond butter, and stir.

3. Pour the syrup and almond butter over the cereal and stir to combine.

4. Cool to room temperature and stir in chocolate chips.

5. Dump out into a 9x13 inch baking dish and press evenly into pan.

6.  Let cool for an hour and cut into squares.

These would probably be really good with toasted coconut and dried cranberries, too.  Enjoy!