A Classic Children's Recipe Redone---Nature's Way

Growing up, who didn’t love Rice-Krispie Squares? Parents and children of all ages will have fun re-creating this classic recipe, adapted from the Vegetarian Times cookbook.

These bars are perfect for breakfast, school lunches, and after-school snacks. They also work well as a pre- or post-workout boost, and make for beautiful gifts when wrapped up individually and presented in a cookie tin or gift bag.

Feel free to use whatever dried fruit you like in place of the raisins and cranberries. Easily change this recipe into a dessert by omitting the dried fruit and stirring in ½ cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips and ½ cup of chopped walnuts. Add the chocolate while the honey-almond butter mixture is still warm, and the chocolate will melt and turn the squares dark! (Psssttt! I just made it this way a few minutes ago...and it is DELICIOUS!)     

Nature’s Rice-Krispie Squares

7 cups whole-grain or rice puffed cereal

¾ cup dried cranberries

¾ cup raisins

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ cup honey

¾ cup almond butter

2 tablespoons earth balance vegan butter

Stir together cereal, dried fruit, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Put honey, almond butter, and earth balance butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1½ minutes, or until hot and the butter melts. Stir well; then pour over cereal mixture. Stir to coat.

Dampen hands with cold water. Press cereal mixture firmly into a 9 by 9-inch baking pan (or two smaller pans), re-wetting hands if necessary to keep mixture from sticking. Freeze 30 minutes.

Cut into 12-18 bars (depending on how large you would like them), and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.   

*I don’t know who figured out that they last this long in the fridge. Every time I made this recipe, the whole batch is gone by the next day. J