I am so thrilled about this post for several reasons.
- It's a super simple, very yummy recipe... everyone can do this.
- It's a healthy snack...... that's the name of the game here.
- You can make a big batch of these for penny's on the dollar from what you'd pay for store bought granola or protein bars.
- Last, but not least, I had so much fun photographing and playing with the pic's from this shoot.
I wanted to thank my friend Lauren at Foodie House for sharing her honest feelings about food photography sharing sites. It's easy to get caught up in all of the publicity and glamour ( yes food can be glamorous) of it all. It seems that many of us, I can only speak for myself, start blogging for purely personal reasons and yet in the excitement of it all, change our personal style for the want of publicity. I've been having fun journaling some of my favorite recipes so that someday I might make a simple cookbook for myself and my kids. Also, it is a fun, creative outlet for me. I love cooking and blogging has been a nice getaway of sorts from everyday chaos.
These peanut butter crispies are a favorite in our house. I've adapted them from a basic recipe that I have here, and make them with what ingredients I have on hand. With 3 very active boys in our home who have seemingly bottomless pits for stomachs these snacks are a true life saver! Served with a glass of cold milk, they are a great after school snack. My teenager downs an apple or two along with several of these little PB balls.
Check out the list of healthy ingredients going on here! You could grab a couple of these for a
quick on-the-run breakfast and feel good about it. There's protein, whole grains and bits of fruit, what more could you ask for in a snack?
I just add the cereals and fruit then pour in some peanut butter to get the consistency I like. Honey gives it just a touch of Natural sweetness and keeps them from falling apart. I use my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook and a firm spatula for scraping the sides in. You could start mixing these with a big heavy spoon but you'll probably need to get down and dirty and use your hands towards the end.
TIME 20 MINUTES ACTIVE 2 HOURS REFRIGERATING
MAKES ABOUT 40 BALLS
You will need:
2 - 2 1/2 cups All Natural peanut butter
1 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal
2 cups *Puffed Millet
1 cup craisins, raisins or other bits of dried fruit
1/2 - 1 cup Honey (eye it, it's easier than messing with a measuring cup)
1/2 cup Wheat Germ (optional, I didn't have it this time, but it's in my original recipe)
Mix all ingredients together. Shape into bite size balls with your hands, adding a spoonful of PB if they become to crumbly.
Place on wax paper lined cookie sheets and cool in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Keep stored in an airtight container in fridge. These will be perfectly fine to send to school, they will keep their shape.
*Millet is a super healthy whole grain used for centuries in Egypt, China, Africa, India and all across Europe.
Millet is highly nutritious, non-glutinous and like buckwheat and quinoa, is not an acid forming food so is soothing and easy to digest. In fact, it is considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available.
Millet is tasty, with a mildly sweet, nut-like flavor and contains a myriad of beneficial nutrients. It is nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, the essential amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It is particularly high in the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium.
Other healthy snacks you'll love:
Banana Chocolate Crisp Granola Bars
Carrot Date Energy Ballz
Old Fashion Fig Bars
Home Made Gold Fish Crackers
Tropical Nut and Seed Bars
All Natural Oat Cookies
Coconut Almond Oat Crunchies
Granola Quinoa Fruit Bars
Ginger-Roo's with home made crystalized ginger
