Low Calorie Rice Crispy Treats

I posted a while ago about Trader Joe's pre-made rice crispy treats, but since rice crispy bars are so easy to make, I wanted to share a nice recipe for a homemade version made with peanut butter instead of marshmallows. Rice crispy treats are a satisfying dessert or snack because they are so crunchy and chewy and fun to eat. I to make them with brown rice syrup instead of marshmallow because rice syrup is a low-glycemic sweetener, which means it does not cause a big blood sugar spike. For me, this means I stay full much longer.

Though peanut butter tends to be high calorie, the quantity per portion in this recipe ends up small. All in all, probably a bit better for you than marshmallows. And, the brown rice syrup in this recipe makes the bars more than sweet enough. So far I have made them twice, once with  low calorie peanut butter and once with PB2, both of which I recommend you try!

Here is the recipe I use:

1 cup low calorie peanut butter or PB2
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1 dash of vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups crispy brown rice cereal

In a saucepan heat the first 3 ingredients until they are well mixed and smooth. Add cinnamon and stir well. Pour the dry cereal into a large mixing bowl and add the rice syrup / peanut butter mixture. Mix well until all the rice crispies are well coated. Press mixture into an oiled pan and flatten with a spatula. Cool to room temperature and serve. Makes about 12 bars. Each bar is 112 calories and 3 weight watchers points plus points (do re-check your calories/points based on what peanut butter you use).

Enjoy!
Juliet

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