Healthier Chocolate Puff Squares

Now that Miss G is a little bit older, we’ve definitely loosened up a little in terms of what she eats.  While ‘treats’ in the past may have included roasted chickpeas, kale chips, or popsicles made with almost strictly mango and yogurt (all things that pack a pretty decent nutritional punch), nowadays, some ‘treats’ are simply treats… Things that are yummy and not oozing in nutritional value.  That being said, we do try to keep them on the healthy side, using whole, organic ingredients whenever possible.

After fairly successfully creating a yummy and healthier crispy rice treat recipe, I decided we would try to redo another classic children’s treat… Chocolate puffed wheat squares.  It took a little bit of experimenting, but I think we found a pretty awesome alternate recipe.  Here’s how we made them…

First, the lineup of ingredients…  Coconut oil, unsweetened cocoa powder, kamut puffs, pure vanilla, pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and cashew butter.  {Edited to add: I find that this is an incredibly forgiving recipe and have now tried it many ways, so I’ll list a few alternatives in the recipe at the bottom of the post.}

To start off, we added our coconut oil, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and cashew butter to a large pot.

Of course finding a spoon licking volunteer wasn’t hard.

Then Miss G measured out the kamut puffs into a large bowl…

While I stirred the wet ingredients over at the stove. Just as it started to form slow bubbles, I turned off the heat, added the vanilla, and gave it another quick stir.

Then we poured the wet mixture into the kamut puff bowl and Miss G mixed everything up well.

When it was mixed well, we poured the mixture out onto a parchment-line baking pan (my smaller one was already in use and this one was too big so we only used half of it) and used slightly wet hands to press everything down firmly.

After about 30 minutes in the fridge, we took our chocolately dessert out of the pan and cut it into squares.

The verdict?  Gracen LOVED them (as did I).  When I asked her how they were, her response was, “So, so, sooooooooo yummy!”

The other way I know they are decent?  When I left for a 30 minute run around the neighbourhood, there were 10 squares sitting on parchment paper on the butcher block.  When I got home?  3 and some crumbs – THREE! (Proof is in my Instagram feed – mamapapabububa).  Apparently they are husband approved also.

Healthier Chocolate Puff Squares

• 1/2 cup of organic brown rice syrup (or honey or pure maple syrup)
• 1/2 cup of cashew butter (or peanut butter)
• 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup (not needed if using honey or maple syrup in place of brown rice syrup)
• 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla

• 4 1/2  cups of kamut puffs (or other puff cereal)

Measure the brown rice syrup, cashew butter, maple syrup, cocoa, and coconut oil into a large pot.  Warm over medium heat, stirring almost constantly.  Allow the mixture to come to a bubble, turn down the heat slightly, and continue stirring while it thickens up a little.  When done, turn off the heat, add the vanilla, and give it another quick stir.

Add in the kamut puffs and mix well to ensure the cereal is evenly coated with the sticky mixture.

Dump the mixture into a parchment-lined baking pan or scoop into a greased muffin cups and press it down firmly.  Pop the pan into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow the treats to set.

Cut and enjoy!

♥

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