Awaiting Addiction ……

We are now full swing into the 2016 school year and fall has absolutely started making its presence known. Day 5 of school, both kids are sick, nothing that orange juice, soup, and a little bit of ice cream can’t kick to the curb. The mornings are almost 10 degrees colder than a week ago, the days are getting shorter, I’m seeing pumpkin everything on my Facebook news feed, and the leaves are slowly beginning to change from green, to red and orange. My thoughts are filled with casseroles, soups, and warm treats that will carry us through the fall, and winter months. I know, it is only August, it is still almost 90 degrees during the day, but all it takes is a few hints of fall to turn everyone’s thoughts to the next season. It is happening.

Today’s recipe is perfect for any season, but these bars are probably better when it starting to cool down because they are not counter stable. (So right now, with A/C during the day, and cool morning… perfect!) Again, without meaning to, I have brought you another peanut butter and chocolate recipe. This recipe reminds me of a cross between peanut butter fudge, and rice krispi treats. Unlike rice krispi treats, these bars are acceptable for breakfast, or snacks. They aren’t loaded with refined sugars, and empty calories. I can warn you though, they are addictive, and if you get crazy and eat the whole batch, you will probably regret it the next day. 😉

A single bar is 176 calories, but it is worth every single calorie. They also have 4 grams of protein per bar, all your healthy fats, and 13% of your daily iron intake.

I was skeptical about using Cheerios in this recipe, but the kids had chosen regular Cheerios at Costco, and then the littlest remembered that she only likes multi grain, so there are four big boxes of Cheerios and no one around here eats cereal for breakfast, just snacks. I knew that I needed to find something else to do with them. I also prefer multi-grain Cheerios which is why I chose to use them instead of the yellow box. Lucky for me, it was a good choice. The chocolate fudge coating is so creamy, and amazing, I almost left out the Cheerios and just went for straight freezer fudge, but that will be in the future. There are so many fun things that can be done with fudge. I guess I better wrap this up before the kiddos get up from their nap, and I will let you get to making a batch of these amazing “crack”… I mean O’ Baby Cereal bars, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy!

What is your favorite cereal?

Are you a fan of cereal bars?

O’ Baby Cereal Bars

By Angie Gouchenour

8 bars

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons coconut oil – room temperature

¼ cup natural crunchy peanut butter – room temperature

¼ cup honey

2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder – sift after measuring

2 cups multigrain Cheerios (Or O shaped oat cereal)

Drizzle

2 Tablespoons natural chunky peanut butter

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon Truvia zero calorie sweetener

½ teaspoon mini chocolate chips (OPTIONAL)

Directions

Line a small pan with parchment or wax paper (The size of the pan depends on how thick you’d like your bars)

In a medium bowl cream together the room temperature coconut oil, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla

Stir in the sifted cocoa powder until well blended

Fold the cereal into the fudge mixture, coat well

Press into the prepared pan. (Fold the wax paper, or parchment, over the top of the bars and press firmly)

Place the pan in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes

In a small bowl combine the peanut butter and coconut oil and melt in the microwave for 20-30 seconds

Stir to combine adding the Truvia

Remove the pan from the freezer and pull back the wax, or parchment, paper using a spoon, or a plastic baggie with the end snipped off like I did, drizzle the peanut butter mixture over the squares

If using the mini chocolate chips, sprinkle them over the peanut butter drizzle lightly pressing them down so they will stick

Place the pan back into the freezer for about 5 minutes until the peanut butter is firm

Remove from the freezer and cut into bars, or squares

Store in a covered container, in the freezer, with wax, or parchment, paper separating the layers

174 calories per bar

 

 

Modified from Bests and Bites