No Refined Sugar Honey Almond Crispy Rice Treats
Yields: 9 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
With protein, healthy fats, no gluten or refined sugar, these crispy rice treats are a perfect and nutritionally dense bite to satisfy!
Ingredients
1/2 cup natural creamy unsalted almond butter
1/2 cup high quality honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut oil
2 cups brown rice cereal (I used fruit juice sweetened)
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Directions
1. In a small saucepan, mix honey, almond butter, vanilla and coconut oil on low heat until well combined (about 5 minutes).
2. In a separate bowl, mix together crispy rice cereal, oats and shredded coconut.
3. Gently pour in the melted mixture and combine well.
4. In a lightly greased 8x8x2-sized dish, (I use coconut oil), pour in the crispy rice ooey-gooey mixture and gently press with a non-stick spatula.
5. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before cutting into 9 squares (or whatever you want), and then dig in! Store in refrigerator.
Going on my no refined sugar stint, it has been getting rough finding snacks. I REALLY want something sweet to grab sometimes. So, this fit the bill. Granted, they are pretty sweet, and I would reserve it still for a treat. However, there is no added sugar and what is resent is healthy fats, vitamin E and protein from almond butter. I added a bit of unsweetened shredded coconut for an additional slate on the flavor profile, as well as a bit of texture.
I chose brown rice cereal that was certified gluten free and also sweetened only with pear or apple juice to stick with my no added refined sugar deal. They work wonderfully and add the perfect of crunch!
I do keep these in the refrigerator, because number one, sugar is a preservative, and these lack a great preservative, which happens to be refined sugar. Second, because honey is the base, and it isn’t hard at room temperature, these treats tend to get soft if they are kept out. They still taste delicious, they just might fall apart a little more easily.
My middle kiddo loves peanut butter and honey. Well, she basically loves honey, but puts up with the nut butters that go along with it. With the prevalence of allergies, and wanting to send these to school with her, I chose almond butter. It has a dense nutrient profile and keeps the treat peanut-free.
Even after my refined sugar hiatus (and yes, there will be an “after”, as I don’t see this lasting much longer…), these crispy rice bars will still be a frequently made treat!
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