More About:
Makes 25 squares / These cereal bars go together in minutes and replace traditional gooey white marshmallow cream with agave nectar. Chewy and crunchy, they’ll become a family favorite. Ingredient tip: Agave inulin, a low-glycemic, high-fiber, soluble, prebiotic powder available in natural foods stores, assists digestion and adds a slightly sweet taste to dishes. Use it in smoothies, yogurt, cold and hot drinks, and baking recipes. Prep tips: For variation, replace cherries with 1⁄2 cup chocolate chips, use vanilla instead of almond extract, and add chopped peanuts instead of almonds.
3 cups brown-rice cereal
1⁄2 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped raw almonds
1 tablespoon agave inulin (optional)
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup almond butter or peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1. Line an 8x8-inch pan with plastic wrap, overlapping sides with enough to fold over and cover top of pan completely. Coat plastic wrap with cooking spray.
2. Place cereal, cherries, and chopped almonds in a large mixing bowl. Stir until evenly mixed.
3. If using inulin, mix it with agave in a small saucepan (no heat) until dissolved. Add nut butter. Turn heat to low and stir until nut butter is melted and well blended with agave. Add almond extract. Remove from heat. Pour agave mixture over rice cereal and stir until syrup coats cereal. Transfer into pan in an even layer. Cover top with the extra plastic wrap and press mixture evenly in pan.
4. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Remove from pan by lifting plastic wrap. Cut into 25 squares. If individually wrapped, each square will last for at least a week.
PER SERVING: 57 cal, 31% fat cal, 2g fat, 0g sat fat, 0mg chol, 1g protein, 9g carb, 1g fiber, 15mg sodium