Growing up in Los Angeles, there’s many wonderful things, locally-speaking, I’ve had the fortune to have had access to in my life … but it’s safe to say that experiencing the varied beauty of seasons is not one of them. Sunny and warm, sunny and “too hot,” and sunny and “a little chilly” is pretty much extent of the type of weather-related changes we get around here in SoCal. I suppose it is for this reason that I have such strong attachment towards annual events – a work-around way of marking the passage of time, and creating the type of repetitive fond memories that we tend to find so intuitively comforting. So it’s no surprise that I have such an undeniable fondness towards the “back to school” season. Every year, even though I don’t have children of my own yet, I am reminded in the most visceral of ways of that feeling leading up to going back to school. I imagine it’s different for everyone, but for me, it was fueled with energetic determination, curiosity, admittedly a little anxiety, and empowerment. Going back to school always felt excitedly like “this is going to be the best year yet.” And, even as an adult, I still get a strong wave of re-invigoration during this season in my professional projects.
To heighten the experience, I often find myself making more snack-y things around the house than usual. When I was young, my parents weren’t particularly enamored with kitchen endeavors, so back-to-school snacks were often a self-propelled experience. I made a lot of things from cookbooks: cookies, popsicles, and any other high-sugar recipes that I could get away with. It wasn’t until much, much later that I learned how to make these same kinds of treats without the junk, and enriched with remarkable superfoods.
Superfoods are really an ideal addition to back-to-school snacks. Since these kinds of snacks come with the wrapper of “fun” and “reward,” the snack situation becomes a true win-win when these treats actually contain massive nutritional gains and healthy benefits, too. Healthy fruits are always a good choice to help flavor and sweeten recipes … you can use seasonal fruits like apples and pears, family favorites like bananas and mangos, or best-of-the-best choices in terms of nutrition-density like strawberries or blackberries. When making dried snacks, like the crispy rice treats below, one of my superfood secrets is using freeze-dried fruits and powders to fold in flavor, color, and of course phenomenal stores of protective antioxidants. Freeze-dried blueberries, which you can find at many natural food stores or online, are such a tantalizing pleasure unto themselves, and incorporated alongside crunchy rice, with flavors of maple and almond shining through, these natural treats couldn’t be more irresistible (when in reality, are little more than berries, brown rice, and nuts!). Of course, I’m always looking for opportunities to sneak in extra greens, which is where some quality spirulina powder often comes in. Highly condensed in cleansing chlorophyll, bursting with vitamins and minerals, and offering a grade-A collection of antioxidants, spirulina essentially packs the power of a big green salad into a tiny, virtually unnoticeable package. You’ll never taste or see “the green” in these treats below, and the only one to notice the difference is your body (and it says THANKS!).
Superberry Crispy Rice Treats
Filled with satisfying crispy-crunch and big berry flavor, these irresistible treats are an ideal back-to-school reward, or just a fun not-so-naughty sweet snack.
Makes 16 2-inch squares
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, divided
1 cup + 2 tablespoons freeze-dried blueberries, divided
3 cups crispy brown rice cereal (use lowest sugar brand available)
1½ teaspoons Hawaiian Spirulina Powder
3 tablespoons acai powder
½ cup almond butter
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chia seeds
Line an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, hanging excess paper over the sides of the pan as flaps, for easy removal. Set aside.
In a food processor or spice grinder, combine 1/4 cup of the almonds, and 2 tablespoons of the freeze dried blueberries. Process into a coarse purple powder. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the crispy rice, spirulina and acai. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Add the rice mixture and mix until evenly coated. Fold in chia seeds, and 1 cup of freeze-dried blueberries. Toss to coat thoroughly. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer, and smooth out to cover the surface of the pan. Sprinkle the prepared almond-blueberry powder over the whole exposed layer, then scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons sliced almonds on top. Use a the back of a spatula to press the treats firmly until flat and compact. Refrigerate for 1 hour before removing the paper with the treats from the pan, and cutting into 2-inch squares.
Crispy rice treats may be stored refrigerated or at room temperature, and will last for up to one week.
Nutrex Hawaii has generously offered a discount to all JulieMorris.net readers for all spirulina purchases: Use code SFJULIE at Nutrex-Hawaii.com to receive 20% off up to $75, 30% off up to $149.99 and 40% off above $150.
This post was sponsored by Nutrex Hawaii. All opinions here are 100% my own.
