Maybe it’s the all the extra time spent at home these days, but for many of us, making a round of old-school treats is high on the to-do radar. Things like cookies, breads, and cheesy pasta somehow all feel like the right thing for right now: an all-important sparkle of pleasure amongst a difficult year deluged by compromises and uncertainty.
Now, heading into the holidays, some of our most near-and-dear traditions have a new set of challenges. That’s why we, the folks at Luminberry, believe it’s more important than ever to take at least one concession out of the equation: the joy of making healthy, indulgent, and fun recipes.
On that note, this week we're finding ourselves all about crispy rice treats. Why? Crispy rice treats remind us of autumn, after-school projects, and the special joy of having a stash of “anytime” treats brightening up the house. As a no-bake recipe, they’re particularly enjoyable to make, and have that kind of crunchy-crispy-chewy-sweet goodness to them that makes them loved by anyone from age 3 to 103.
To make this recipe more of a win nutritionally, we plucked a favorite recipe straight from the always-inspiring pages of the Superfood Snacks cookbook—which, by the way, is an absolutely perfect book for the holidays...grab your copy (or gift one to a friend) for all your upgraded treat needs! And, these crispy rice treats don't disappoint: packed with four types of superfoods, made with lower sugar, and full of natural ingredients from start to finish, these treats are are destined to become a new kind of enjoyable tradition your whole family will love.
WATCH HOW WE MAKE OUR SUPERFOOD CRISPY RICE TREATS:
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SUPERFOOD CRISPY RICE TREATS PREP TIPS:
Leave the marshmallows in the cupboard—these crispy rice treats are created out of an entirely different set of ingredients. Here’s how to make sure your batch is the best it can be.
Get the right cereal. We recommend a crispy rice cereal that’s low in sugar (many brands have only around 3 grams per serving!), and made from brown rice to offer additional nutrition. Do not use puffed rice cereal, as it is too soft.
Cook down the maple syrup mixture. The trick to making sure these treats keep their shape is cooking the maple syrup mixture for the right amount of time: You want to heat this mixture long enough to cook out all the moisture (which will ultimately harden slightly as it cools and hold the crispy rice together), but not so long that the syrup burns. It’s a delicate balance, but it usually takes around 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir constantly, and watch your pan closely!
Slash the sugar even more. While some maple syrup is required for the right consistency, you can use sugar-free 1:1 monkfruit sweetener in place of coconut sugar to cut the overall content down. Either way, the results will be delicious!
Pack the treats firmly. Be sure to press the treats down very firmly into the pan before refrigerating them – the more you pack them in, the better they will hold their shape, once cut.
Have fun with decorations! We show how to make a fairly classic treat, but there’s more that can be done with these! Try sprinkling additional superfood additions on top of the molten chocolate drizzle, decorate the treats for an upcoming holiday like Halloween or Christmas, or even use a cookie cutter to stamp the uncut treats into different shapes. Get creative!
MORE EASY & FUN TREATS:
Superfood Crispy Rice Treats
Crispy rice treats may be a familiar commodity, but our version is a bounding leap above any kind of “back of the box” recipe. Made with lower sugar natural ingredients, and packed with superfoods from start to finish, this is one sweet snack with a whole lot of benefits.
Recipe adapted and reprinted with permission from the cookbook Superfood Snacks.
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Chill Time: 70 minutes | Total Time: 80 minutes
Servings: 16
Author: Julie Morris Ingredients
3 cups crispy brown rice cereal
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons maca powder
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 tablespoon chia seeds
½ cup smooth roasted almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons 1:1 monkfruit sweetener, or coconut sugar
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cacao nibs (optional)
½ cup chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (optional)
Directions
1. Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking oil spray and line with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the crispy rice cereal, maca powder, cinnamon, hemp seeds, and chia seeds.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, monkfruit sweetener or coconut sugar, coconut oil, and sea salt over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, cook for 5 minutes, until the ingredients are thoroughly melted and bubbling. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Pour the hot mixture over the cereal. Mix very well, until the cereal is thoroughly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the cacao nibs on top, and press firmly to compact and flatten the mixture. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour to solidify.
5. Melt the chocolate (if using) in a double boiler, or simply in a saucepan over low heat, stirring to keep the chocolate from burning. Lightly drizzle the crispy rice treats with the melted chocolate, and refrigerate for a minimum of 10 minutes longer to set. Cut into 16 squares.
Crispy rice treats will last for a couple weeks at room temperature, or refrigerated. (Note: The treats will be slightly more firm and crispy when refrigerated, and softer in warm environments.)
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below, or tag @luminberry on Instagram and hashtag it #luminberry
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