January | 2012 | Sweatpants and Superfoods

Healthier & More Colorful Rice Krispie Treats

What kid, or adult, doesn’t love rice krispie treats? But they can get boring. And the combination of butter, marshmallows and sugary cereal doesn’t make them the healthiest treat. So here’s my version… Healthier and more colorful!

Ingredients

3 Tbs butter

10oz. package of marshmallows

1 tsp cinnamon

sprinkles

6oz. bag of Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice Cereal

coconut oil to grease the pan

what I did…

1. In a small pot, melt the butter and then add the marshmallows and cinnamon. Stir until its completely melted.

2. Add a couple dashes of sprinkles and stir them. Don’t let them ‘cook’ into the mixture, or they’ll melt completely and then it’ll just become a mottled color.

3. Pour the mixture over the cereal and use a silicon spatula/scraper to mix together.

4. Rub a little coconut oil onto the bottom and sides of a 9×9 pan so they don’t stick!

5. Put the mixture into the pan. Take a sheet of parchment paper, lay it over the mixture, and press firmly until they’re spread out evenly (no need to get your hands all stick!). Place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to cool/set. (Storing them in the fridge keeps them crunchy. If you take them out after they set, they’ll soften and be more gooey-like)

add sprinkles to the mixture! don’t be shy!

use parchment paper to press the mixture into the pan

* other ingredients I have also added before pouring the mixture over the cereal : shredded coconut, 1-2 tsp cacao powder, 2-3 Tbs of pureed fruit (banana, mango, strawberry, etc)… Experimentation gets you tastier results!

* note: they don’t taste exactly like “old-fashioned rice krispie treats”, but I like these better, and because they’re healthier (and vegan) I would rather make these and give them to my child!

* I use Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread instead of butter or margarine for all of my recipes

* I prefer Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice Cereal because its made with whole grain brown rice, has no high fructose corn syrup, its vegan, has no added salt or sugar, and its all natural!!!

Vegan Frozen Yogurt

If you couldn’t tell by now, I do not eat dairy and try to avoid all animal products when I cook. There’s really nothing that I create in my kitchen that I’m not willing to feed my 1 year old, so I ensure everything is as healthy and natural as possible. I love strawberry ice cream and wanted to come up with something just as enjoyable, minus the dairy. Frozen yogurt is a wonderful snack or dessert!

Ingredients

1 cup of non-dairy yogurt (a little less than 2 6oz containers)

2 cups of strawberries (or other fruit, fresh or frozen)

2 Tbs agave (or honey, depending on preference)

1-2 cups of ice cubes

1/2 cup of non-dairy milk

pinch of cinnamon (optional)

What I Do…

In a blender, mix the yogurt, fruit and agave. Add the cinnamon if you’re choosing to do so. Add the ice and milk. Blend until smooth. If its too thin you can add another 1/2-1 cup of ice cubes.

Pour it into a container and let it set in the freezer for about 20 minutes before serving.

Healthy. Simple. Delicious.

fruit, agave, yogurt

add the milk and ice … now freeze!

* I store the frozen yogurt in the freezer, but sometimes it does get too hard to scoop. So I’ll usually take it out and let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes and let it thaw a little prior to eating.

* I have used strawberries, strawberry/banana, blueberries, mango, papaya and every combination in between!

Homemade Graham Crackers

Homemade Graham Crackers…My 8 Favorite Ways…Icing, Coconut Flakes, Chocolate Syrup, Bananas and Sprinkles, Marshmallows, Peanut Butter, Applesauce, and Plain…

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/3 cup Turbinado or raw sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 Tbs agave

1/4 soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

What to do…

1. Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl mix the flour, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the oil, vanilla and agave into the middle of the dry mix. Mix the ingredients (I use a fork) until crumbly and combined.

2. Pour in the milk and mix until it’s incorporated. The dough should start to form into a ball. You may have to knead it a little with your hands to warm it up and form it into a ball.

3. Put a piece of parchment paper on the counter, put the dough on top of it, and lay another piece of parchment on top of the dough. Flatten the dough with your hands and then roll it into a large rectangle, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut off the edges of the dough and combine it together, rolling that piece into another rectangle. (I don’t have a rolling pin and use the dowel rod from my patio door!) Cut the dough into rectangles, about 3×4 in size or however small you want them. A pizza cutter works great for this! I like to keep them bite-sized for the baby.

4. Line a baking sheet with another piece of parchment paper. Transfer the rectangles onto the parchment. I usually use a fork and poke a few rows of holes into the top of the crackers but it’s not necessary. (Don’t poke the fork all the way through). Bake the crackers for 10-12 minutes. The longer you bake them, the crispier they will be. I leave them a little softer for my little one.

use parchment paper underneath and on top of the dough when pressing and rolling into a rectangle so you don’t have to use extra flour or get your hands dirty!

cut the crackers into rectangles, place them on the parchment, score with a fork, and bake!

great snacks for kids and adults! graham cracker, chocolate syrup and raspberries…

Icing: Whisk together 1 Tbs of coconut oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup confectioner’s/powdered sugar and 2 Tbs of soy milk

Chocolate Syrup: Pour some agave syrup into a bowl (a few tablespoons) and whisk in a little bit of cacao powder at a time until you get the chocolate-y flavor you desire.

* For all of you who don’t like coconut, the coconut oil in the recipe does NOTHING to flavor them. It only provides the needed liquid to the recipe and helps bind the dough. If anything, you’ll taste the cinnamon flavor… Yum!

* I don’t use “all-purpose” or white flour. If a recipe calls for regular flour, I’ll use Whole Wheat Flour and add 50% more baking soda or whatever leveling agent the recipe calls for

* I also do not use table salt. I only use Himalayan Sea Salt. I usually find it at my local Marshalls or Home Goods in their kitchen section for really cheap!

* I try not to buy processed snacks. Crackers, granola bars, and things alike are about $3 a box. The ingredients I keep in my house cost me pennies per recipe and the food is so much healthier and fresh tasting!