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!