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
Awesome idea – I’m really hungry for something with chocolate, nuts and cran/cherries… was thinking of a protein ball you had a recipe for, but I like the idea of these being bars. Either would be better late-night options than I’m reaching for!
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Thank you! 🙂 You could absolutely add some nuts and cran/cherries! There was still a little give in the “fudge” so adding up to probably 1/8 of a cup of add ins would probably be OK without omitting any of the cereal. 🙂 Let me know how they turn out!
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I must reveal that no consideration of food value will be applied to my additions. LOLOL Like your baked french fries that were lubed with bacon grease. AWESOME OVEN FRIES. 🙂
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haha There are times when calories have to be disregarded 😉 But from the sound of it you are adding quality calories so no sweat! As far as the fries….. there is nothing wrong with a little bacon grease once in a while. 😉 I’d rather see you use that than some of the alternatives that are out there. 🙂
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Okay – with the blessing of bacon grease you are a friend for life.
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haha 😉 As long as you aren’t “bathing” in it, bacon grease has its merits 😉
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Fall is creeping up on my mind too! I used to love cereal bars, we were never much of a weekday breakfast family, so granola/cereal/any handheld breakfast was usually the move. I’ve never tried to make my own, but they look simple enough! I usually prefer the really basic cereals…corn flakes, cheerios, rice crispies lol. And once in a while, a bowl of Reeses Puff! 😉
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They are so simple! 🙂 While I don’t care for the sugar in Reese’s Puffs, if you are having a true hard core chocolate attack those would cure it if you swapped out the Os 😉
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