salted chocolate crispie bars

gluten-free, refined sugar free

June! I have always loved June. Maybe because it is my birthday month, maybe it is the held-over memories of end-of-the-school-year stuff that seems to fill the month (causing mothers to pull their hair out and kids to rejoice) but it can't be the weather because June in Calgary pretty much means rain. The kind of daily rain that in Japan they call The Rainy Season. The kind of rain that swells the rivers, threatens flooding and awakens the mosquito population. The kind of daily rain that gardens thrive in if you were clever enough to get out there and sow the seeds but that spells a muddy mess if you want to try that project right now. In spite of that reality for some crazy reason reason when I think, read, or hear the word 'June' I think SUN.

Today is June 1, Saturday and sunny! I think that must qualify this as a day that needs at least a mini-celebration. Celebrations - even mini ones - simply need treats. It is in the definition. No treat, no celebration. These chocolate bars are up to the task and in fact, I like them so well that I think simply having a bite of one qualifies as a mini-mini celebration all in itself. I found the recipe over on FOOD52 (a favourite stop for me) with a write-up that intrigued (touted as an attempt at a healthy rice krispie square and called Hippie Crispie Treats). We have been missing our rice krispie squares around here since if I make marshmallows -with honey no less - there is no way they are being melted into the ubiquitous rice krispie squares and any other marshmallow is just a yummy, sweet puff of refined sugar. Which, of course, we avoid now. So... a healthy option sounded promising enough to try. While I am not sure I would add this recipe to the queue of truly healthy it certainly is healthier and healthy enough. AND it is De. Lish. Us! I loved the sprinkle of salt on the top - yummy became amazing.

The only itty bitty tweak I made to the recipe was to decrease the amount of coconut oil in the topping - a choice not lightly made. Coconut oil while incredibly good for one has such a low melting point that 2 Tbsp of the stuff made a topping that was wonderful straight out of the fridge but almost runny 10 minutes later. Messy, messy. 1 Tbsp is about perfect. These squares do not need to be kept in the fridge and if by some miraculous chance they are still hanging around the day after you make them the rice will be slightly less crisp (but in no way even approaching soggy). I have previously always subbed honey or agave for brown rice syrup in any recipe calling for the syrup but for this recipe stick with the brown rice syrup. It is not nearly as sweet as the other two options and enhances the chewy factor. Worth adding to the market list.

I took some over to Eden's for a little market research. The test market is a tough one but the product received a very favourable rating with the testers lamenting the one piece per person I had allowed for. 

After I shared my treats, Deacon shared some lego creations - scenes from books he has read. Amazingly he remembers which lego pieces came from which particular lego set. A feat you would be more impressed with if you were to see the extent of the collection ;)

salted chocolate crispie bars

(barely tweaked from Food 52)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1/2 cup almond butter

1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

4 cups puffed rice cereal

topping:

1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 tsp flaky sea salt (like Maldon's)

Line an 8x8" pan with a sling of parchment paper and set aside.

In a large saucepan combine the maple and brown rice syrups, then bring to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly so it doesn't boil over. You will want to use a larger saucepan than you think you need simply because stirring the cereal into the chocolate mixture can be kind of frustrating if the pan is too small. I know - I did it :) Remove from heat and add the almond butter, chopped chocolate, coconut oil and salt, stirring until everything is melted and smooth. Fold in the rice cereal. Push the mixture into the lined pan and press firmly and evenly.

In a small saucepan melt together the second 1/2 cup of chopped chocolate and the 1 Tbsp of coconut oil. Stir constantly over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour the topping over the rice mixture and spread to the edges. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds and sea salt.

Refrigerate to speed setting or let cool at room temperature for about 2 hours.

peanut butter & honey energy bites

Some people grow up on peanut butter and jelly (pb&j). For me growing up, the staple sandwich for lunches at home or elsewhere was peanut butter and honey. Several times on this blog I have bemoaned the loss of pb&h as I have made an effort to include healthier choices. Peanut butter and honey is not really a healthy lunch - pretty much everyone would be compelled to admit that there is a world of better choices waiting to be had - but as a treat!? Well! I think it is a fine treat. Especially if you add sunflower seeds, hemp seed, and flaxseed along with coconut and rolled oats.

The idea is not my own, just a few of the twists. To give credit where credit is due I was introduced to the recipe on a blog written by a good friend of my son's -  allie is always hungry. (Allie calls them no bake peanut butter oatmeal balls.) Allie saw a pic on pinterest and traced it to gimme some oven, a fun little blog. I was sold pretty quickly on trying this treat with the aforementioned minor tweaks and two days have seen two batches disappear entirely. No bake, gluten-free, all pantry item, 10 minute start-to-finish treats. Do it!

Allie recommends using a regular (read: not natural, organic) brand of peanut butter. I have only the natural, no added sugar or salt organic type in my pantry so that is what I used. Worked for me. Making these was a scoop of goodness for the 'bite' count, a pinch for me kind of exercise.

The very comfortable peanut butter and honey combo is entirely welcome in my tummy.

peanut butter and honey energy bites
(adapted ever so slightly from gimme some oven)

1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped kind of fine
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup hempseed hearts
2 Tbsp milled flaxseed
2 Tbsp shelled sunflower seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

Dump every single ingredient into a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. 

Using a 1" cookie scoop make balls that you set on a piece of parchment paper. If you want, you can stop here. If you want perfectly round and smooth balls, give each scoop of peanut butter and honey goodness a roll between your palms and voila! Fini. 

That's it. really.

apple lunchbox yummies

I have almost worked my way through the apples from our apple tree. The basketful was a bit of a double-edged sword - lots of delicious little apples to use in yummy, yummy ways but keeping is a bit of an issue, so we have auditioned plenty of apple recipes in the last few weeks. This easy option is a keeper that keeps well. 

Most apple desserts don't travel particularly well so they are not great options for a lunchbox treat. This one works at home with a scoop of superior vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of the leftover salted caramel sauce (if you haven't eaten it by the spoonful or used it all as an apple dip) and is honestly equally delicious all by it's naked self, freshly unwrapped from a square of waxed paper straight out of a brown paper bag. This really tastes like apples, not caramel, not cinnamon, but apple. The crust is nice and crispy-crunchy, the inside moist and perfect. That's my take anyway.

This a twist on a recipe from my grandma Ina Merrill. She called it 'apple crunch' and we love it exactly the way she always made it. The only reason I played with the recipe was just to see if it could be made into something that travelled well and didn't need to be eaten with a spoon. A simple matter of increasing a bit of this and that (principally more butter and flour), and voila! a happy success. Once again, I don't peel the apples because I just don't - why throw away all that goodness? But if you are a person that dislikes apple peel in their desserts, peel away. The apple pieces should be fairly chunky - about 1/2" 'cubes' (but don't get bent out of shape making them terribly cubic)

apple lunchbox yummies

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup chopped pecans

5 small apples, cored and chopped (roughly 3 cups)

Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl beat together the brown sugar, melted butter, and egg until well-mixed and pale. Toss the apples with the dry ingredients, add the butter/sugar/egg mixture and stir gently until combined.

Spread the batter in a buttered 9x9-inch baking pan. Bake at 425 degrees F  for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

no-bake salted nut bars

Every lunchbox needs a treat and this is a good one! Since I first made these bars a month ago I haven't not had some in my fridge. I have tweaked the recipe this way and that - liking each variation - but today's batch is by far the best. A little less honey, a little more almond butter, a little more salt. No big changes but such a big difference. 

Fast, easy, healthy and delicious. Addictive. Pretty perfect.

If you don't like or are allergic to one or another - or simply want a change - it is an easy thing to change this recipe just a bit using different nuts and dried fruits. Hazelnuts in place of the almonds, walnuts for pecans, dried cherries, raisins ... tons of options and potential.

no-bake salted nut bars
(adapted from O magazine)

scant 1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
6 Tbsp almond butter
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup hemp seed hearts
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Combine the honey, almond butter and coconut oil and heat gently (in the microwave or on the stove in a small saucepan). You don't want to make it crazy hot - just warm enough to melt the coconut oil and make it easy to mix together. Remove from heat and stir to combine. Add the sea salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix well. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (almonds, pecans, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, oats, and cranberries). Stir to mix well. Add the honey/ almond butter mixture (making sure that it is not hot - or you will have melted chocolate chips. I know this. Not a bad thing but I prefer the condensed bits of chocolate) and mix well.

Use an 8" strip of parchment paper (the width of a 8x8" pan) to line your pan. Dump the mixture into the pan, pat it into the corners and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until cool and firm. Cut into squares and enjoy.

These will stay firm at room temperature - unless room temperature is really warm - so they are fine (although softer) in a lunchbox. The backseat of a hot car produces a finger-lickin' sticky mess. I store them in the fridge because I employ all my will-power and don't eat a batch in a couple of days ... or an afternoon.