Better Than Rice Crispy Treats Cereal Balls

Try out this healthier version of a rice crispy treat at your next kiddo event. They will fly out of the house! Make extra to send home with your friends and family!

As usual, this is a very flexible recipe that you can substitute your sweetener of choice (brown rice syrup or honey or agave or maple syrup or...), as well as nut and seed butter and whole pieces, and lastly, the dried fruit that you incorporate. Oh, I lied, you can also add what ever type of cereals or even whole oats to the recipe. Make sure that you have some different textures though and some small grain like the millet puff will help the balls keep their shape without having to up the goo quantity which defeats the purpose when trying to decrease sugar content per serving.

Make them even healthier by adding some seaweed or spirulina or some such green goodie.

Ingredients: MAKES ABOUT 30 BALLS (tennis ball size balls)

SWEET HEAVENLY GOO:
2 1/2 cups brown rice syrup (can replace with equal quantity of maple syrup, agave syrup or honey) Note that maple and agave may be too runny depending upon type/quality so you may need to reduce then to get the correct viscosity which is more like cool honey)
2 cups creamy peanut butter or crunchy if you like
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark molasses

GRAINS: Aim for about 12 cups of grain total. You can use less if you want gooier, sweeter balls. This area is very flexible but I will say that you want to keep in mind that these grains/cereals are not cooked so you don't want too thick of oats which can be hard to chew and digest. Avoid quick cook type though as they are very low in nutritional value.
Puffed Millet
Puffed Kamut
Whole grain O's aka Cheerios like cereal
Rice Crispy type for the crunchiness
Whole oats, spelt, kamut, etc.

FRUITS, NUTS & SEEDS: Aim for about 4 cups of diced dried fruit & 2 cups of seeds or chopped nuts or whole even. Have fun! Mix it up and try new things.
Dried cranberries, apricot, pineapple, golden raisins, spicy mango, pear, etc. Anything goes!
Roasted and salted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pistachios, any nut really, etc.

OTHER:
1/4-1/2 stick softened butter. You will coat your hands in this to shape the balls as you go. You do not need a lot, just enough to keep the cereal from sticking and to help the balls adhere to themselves.

COOKING & ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:
In a non-stick saucepan, over low heat, bring the peanut butter, molasses and your sweet syrup of choice to a low boil. Stirring often to combine. Turn off heat and add the vanilla. Stir to combine. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Place all grains, fruits, nuts and seeds into a very large bowl. Mix well with your hands and check to see that you are pleased with the combination and quantity of your ingredients. Poor your warm peanut butter and syrup mixture over the cereal and mix. I initially use the wooden spoon and them once cool enough to touch I finish mixing with my hands.

Once mixed well, coat your hand with some softened butter and begin to shape the balls in whatever size and shape pleases you. You can also just put them into a lasagne pan or on a cookie sheet, pat them down, put them in the fridge and cut them up when they are cool.

Enjoy!

Healthy Pancakes for You & Yours

Ingredients:
1 cup homemade or Bob's Red Mill 10 grain pancake mix
1/4 cup chopped spinach
1 whole egg + 1 egg white
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 tablespoons of ground flax seed
2-3 tablespoons of oat or wheat bran
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3+ cup of milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
dash of salt

Mix all of the above, add the fruit of your choice. Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Cook pancake until brown and bubbly (note, may not bubble if you use frozen fruit) and flippable. Flip and finish cooking to your preferred doneness.

Spread with butter, honey or peanut butter. Maple or agave syrup optional!

Enjoy!

Homemade Air Freshener

Ingredients:
Distilled Water
Glycerin
Essential Oil scents of your choice

Fill your chosen size of container 98% full.
Place a small amount of glycerin in the bottle (2 tsp per cup of fluid)
Dash of your favorite essential oils to your scent strength preference.

The following scents are all wonderful:
Lavender
Eucalyptus
Rosemary
Orange or Grapefruit Blossom
Bergamot

Shake before each use and spray away! Good on fabrics too!

Homemade Yumm Sauce Recipe

Ingredient list:
1/2 cup olive or canola oil (note that olive oil will lend it's own flavor)
1/2 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup edamame beans (can use 1/4 cup if you want a more liquid final product)
1/2 cup almonds (roasted or unfrosted depending upon your flavor preference)
2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 - 2/3 cup brewers yeast ( use lesser amount if you are not including fish oil)
1/2 cup water
1/3 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice ( use lesser amount if fish oil is lemon flavored)
1 tablespoon lemon flavored fish oil or you can try flax seed oil
1.5 tablespoons soy sauce ( or 1 teaspoon salt)
1 tablespoon curry powder

Blend nuts, beans, garlic and oils in a food processor until smooth. Add yeast, curry, and liquids. Blend until desired consistency.

If you cannot locate brewers yeast you can use regular bread yeast but you will have to adjust to suit your taste. I would start small, 1 tsp and then work up. Give it time to dissolve in some warm water to dissolve and count that liquid as a part of the water listed in the ingredient list.

You can use silken tofu in place of edamame measure for measure.

Makes about 2 cups of sauce. I am testing for freezability. I will let you know the outcome.