Healthy Rice Crispy Treats
Rice Crispy squares are one of those snacks that is everyone’s favorite. My mom made them often when I was a kid. I could never tolerate the taste or texture of marshmallows on their own, but when they were added to the cereal mixture, it was tasty. I also made this snack for my family for many years. But, in an effort to make healthier food choices, I quit making them years ago because of the ingredients. I recently found a dairy-free and gluten-free recipe for Rice Crispy squares provided by the Medical Medium, so I thought I’d try it out.
Using a combination of natural and organic ingredients, you can replicate this family favorite without the consequences of high sugar, animal products, and glutens. The ingredients are easy to find and they have health benefits.
Thanks to the bees, Raw Honey is made from the pure nectar of flowers. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals including vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and many more. Raw honey is not filtered or pasteurized and is free of any toxins.
Rice Crispy Treats
Makes 9-12 rice crispy treats
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 2/3 cup raw cashew butter ((look for one that contains only cashews))
- 2 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 4 cups organic puffed brown rice cereal
-
Combine raw honey, cashew butter, vanilla and salt in a large bowl.
-
Stir well. Add the brown rice cereal and mix with a spatula until combined.
-
Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper and pour mixture into the dish.
-
Press down with the spatula to smooth everything out, then place the dish in the refrigerator.
-
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the bars have hardened, then remove and cut into bars. Best kept in the fridge.
Aside from being a natural sweetener, raw honey has many benefits. In the good old days, raw unpasteurized honey was used for medicinal purposes. Bandages infused with raw honey were used to accelerate ulcer and wound healing. Raw honey has probiotics so it improves gut health and digestion issues.
Today raw honey can be used for many remedies as well. It strengthens the immune system, eases sore throats, improves circulation, calms nerves, lowers cholesterol, helps balance blood sugars, restores sleep and relieves nausea. It can also be used on your skin to cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize. Good for acne, eczema and even a dry scalp.
This recipe is easy to make and can be ready within two hours for your family or guests. I found that you have to really press the ingredients down in the pan. If you don’t it will crumble really easy. This was my first attempt. But the good news is that you can repress the recipe in the pan to reshape it so that it doesn’t crumble as bad. Make sure all the edges are tucked in and keep it refrigerated until you serve. It tastes really good and everyone in my family loved it. Enjoy!