Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

2 cups puffed, brown rice cereal, crushed
1 & 1/2 cups (1 full 16 oz jar) natural, crunchy peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter – see notes below)
2 cups organic powdered sugar
1/2 cup, plus 2 TBSP butter, or coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla
heaping 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

• Coat a 9X13 baking pan with coconut oil or butter.
• Combine crushed cereal, peanut butter, powdered sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, and vanilla in a large bowl.
• Press mixture into baking pan.
• Melt the chocolate chips with remaining 2 TBSP butter and stir to combine.
• Spread chocolate mixture over the peanut butter mixture and let set for about 2 hours in refrigerator.
• Cut into squares.

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SIDE NOTES:

~ Got this recipe over a year ago from friend Sharon Shiner who offers her own nutrition/recipe information via ‘Thyme to cook’. Check her out!

~ I keep these peanut butter squares in the freezer & pull them out for special occasions, or when some trading is necessary. For example, I sometimes trade them to the kids for candy they acquire at parties/halloween…etc. They get one square for 3 pieces of candy. These bars are soooooo tasty that it’s worth a 3 to 1 ratio – even to them. Of course, they contain a lot of sugar, but at least I’m in control of the other ingredients and get to omit all the food colorings, preservatives & other unpronounceable additives. You can actually pack a decent amount of nutrition into these things by using a good nut butter, high quality butter or coconut oil, and high quality, antioxidant rich dark chocolate.

~ On the rare occasion powdered sugar comes into my life, I like “Wholesome Sweeteners” brand.

~ You can crush the cereal either by beating it up a bit while still in its sealed plastic bag, or pouring into a bowl & using a potato masher/meat tenderizer/back of big spoon…etc. (FYI – EnviroKids “Koala Crisp” is dairy & gluten free)

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