I am always on a quest to find treats that I can feel good about feeding to my family. I admittedly have a HUGE sweet tooth, and I love when I find recipes that I too can indulge in without feeling guilty. Rice crispy treats have been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. I love the texture and the taste. But refined cereal and gooey marshmallows don't necessarily fit into my nutrition mantra. I've managed to make them healthier over the years by using brown rice cereal and adding ground flax and they were delicious as well as much more nutritious. This time I wanted to up the nutrition value even more so I added oats and peanut butter. The result- a cross between an chewy granola bar and a rice crispy treat. Can you say yum???? And don't forget, these bars may taste and look like dessert but they are full of omega 3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, and a whole slough of vitamins and minerals. Tastes good. Good for you. That's my goal with everything I make.
These are a great treat to let the kids help with, Jayden did all the scooping, pouring and mixing. Of course, quite a bit of the mixture found its way into his little mouth along the way, but what fun is cooking if you can't sample the goods? Another reason these treats are a favorite of mine is because they are so easy to make and I don't have to turn on the oven. I can whip up a batch in ten minutes, and being 41 weeks pregnant, (yes you read that right- 41 weeks!) I'll do anything if it can save me some time and doesn't require a lot of energy, because right now I'm short on both. As you can see from the picture I added mini chocolate chips to this batch. Normally I make them without, but since Jayden is about to become a big brother in a matter of days, I figured we could make an extra special treat this time.
Brown Rice and Oat Crispy Treats
1 3/4 c oats ( you can use rolled or quick cooking)
1 3/4 c brown rice cereal ( I use Erehwon)
1/4 c ground flax seed
1/2 c honey, brown rice syrup, agave, or corn syrup ( I use 1/4 c honey and 1/4 c brown rice syrup)
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 natural peanut butter
1 t vanilla
Other variations to try:
1/4 c mini chocolate chips, put in freezer for 30 minutes before mixing in to prevent melting
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped nuts or seeds
Lightly grease 11 x 7 inch pan. You can use a 13 x 9 but you will end up with a thinner bar.
In a large mixing bowl combine cereal, oats, and flax.
Combine honey, brown rice syrup, and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
Pour mixture over dry ingredients and mix well until combined. If adding any additional ingredients, do so now.
Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press mixture down evenly.
Put in refrigerator for an hour to set up. After that, they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a week.
Turn out onto a cutting board and cut into desired size bars.
Truth be told, before I made these date bars, I had never tried a date in my life. I had been reading all about their health benefits, so I bought some for my son. I cut them lengthwise and filled them with cream cheese for his snack. I used them to sweeten recipes instead of sugar. Then I stumbled upon a date bar recipe and began tweaking it. They came out of the oven smelling divine, but I was a little hesitant to try them. See, I am all for making my son try new things, but I can be a bit reluctant at times. I had tried his cream cheese filled dates and was not thrilled. They were way too sweet and had a strange texture. Still, I was up for the challenge as these bars did smell quite scrumptious.
Okay, if we're being totally honest here, I had Jayden try them first. I have a bad habit of making him the guinea pig. He took one bite. And then another. He looked at me and said "deese are dood mommy". Translation: these are good! I summoned up my courage and grabbed a bar. I took a small bite and was pleasantly surprised. The date flavor was mellow and sweet. The oats made for a chewy, crumby topping. I was converted! I may not eat dates by the handful, but I will gladly eat a date bar anytime.
Dates are rich in iron and vitamins and minerals. They are often referred to as nature's candy and can be used to sweeten desserts and drinks. They can be a wonderful addition to smoothies and of course are great in baked goods like muffins and these bars.
Date Bars
1 1/2 c water
1 1/2 c chopped, pitted dates
1 t vanilla
1 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 c packed brown sugar
1 c old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3/4 c room temperature unsalted butter, diced
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease a 8x8 pan and set aside.
Simmer 1/2 c water and dates for 10 minutes. Let cool and add in vanilla.
Combine flours sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add diced butter and rub between hands until moist clumps form.
Press half of the oat mixture into pan. Spread dates over and then sprinkle the rest of the oat mixture on top. Press down slightly.
Bake 40 minutes. Cool on rack and cut into bars.
I wasn't kidding when I said I was in the midst of a cookie baking frenzy. So far this week I've made ten batches of cookies, and these here my friends, are the indisputable champion. These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have won the hearts of many over the last few years. The secret to their unworldly goodness is the ground oats. It gives them a chewy, irresistible texture. Add chocolate to them and they really are the ultimate cookie.
Some people will argue that nothing can beat the classic chocolate chip cookie. Maybe not, but only if you've never tried these. Not only do they taste better, and have a superior texture, the addition of oats ups the health quotient considerably. Oats are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet, and baked into these cookies, well, they are just plain heavenly. Don't get me wrong, these are still cookies, and should be enjoyed in moderation (if you can muster the willpower!) but I am satisfied knowing that they are more nutritious than most of their cookie counterparts. These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are requested more than any other I make and once you bake a batch, you will understand why.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 c old fashioned oats
2 c flour
1 t non-aluminum baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c sugar
1 c packed brown sugar
1 T vanilla
2 free range, organic eggs, room temperature
12 oz. mini chocolate chips
Pulse 1 c of the oats in a food processor until fine. Mix ground oats, remaining 1/2 c whole oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Using a Kitchenaid or handheld mixer, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time and mix until incorporated. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Cover and chill 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat.
Cook 15 minutes. Cool on racks.
