PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP RICE CRISPY TREATS

This is my new favorite desert/snack to make. I have made it two weeks in a row and find that they all go missing within a couple days. The recipe is extremely simple to make and has just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy as a desert but is still healthy enough to have as a snack or even for breakfast.

On Sunday I had a St. Patty’s day brunch at the house before attempting to go “bicycle bar-hopping” down the boardwalk in South Beach (let’s just say the bikes didn’t last too long). Even though these treats are not Irish at all (or even green for that matter), everyone enjoyed having something sweet and light after a very hearty Irish breakfast!

Now go and make a batch of these gluten free rice crispy treats and enjoy them for breakfast, desert or a snack on the go. Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP RICE CRISPY TREATS
1 10-ounce bag of puffed brown rice cereal
5 tablespoons of coconut oil (liquid state)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of agave nectar or honey
3/4 cup of natural almond butter (or peanut butter, no sugar added)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl add the puffed brown rice. Next, in a sauce pan over medium heat, add the coconut oil, agave nectar and stir until warmed and combined (about a minute). Next add the almond butter and stir until melted and combined about 2 minutes or so. Slowly pour the mixture over the puffed brown rice a little at a time while stirring with a wooden spoon. Keep adding the liquid mixture to the rice while stirring to make sure all the rice is well coated. Let cool for about 10 minutes or so. While the rice is cooling, grease a casserole dish (I used a 15-inch x 10-inch rectangular baking dish) with melted coconut oil. After the puffed rice has cooled, add your chocolate chips while siring to make sure the chocolate is evenly distributed. Add the mixture to the greased casserole dish while pressing down firmly with the back of the spoon or with your hands. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. (Beware, your kitchen will smell like freshly baked cookies! Amazing.)

Let cool completely and then cut into squares. (Side note: after cooling, it tends to stick a bit to the dish. Not to fear. Just start cutting the squares out of the dish with a sharp knife and eventually you will be able to remove the whole thing so it’s one big rice crispy treat. I find that it is easier to remove it all at once and then cut into individual squares on a cutting board).