Cereal is awesome. Period. End of story. Not only is it the perfect meal for breakfast (or dinner), but it is a great ingredient to use for snacks, desserts and some savory dishes.
Anytime I have cereal, I always like to read the back of the box, looking for recipes or interesting ways to use the cereal instead of just pouring it into a bowl with some milk. While enjoying my bowl of Fiber One Original cereal for breakfast the other day, I noticed a recipe for chocolate haystacks that intrigued my sweet tooth. The best part, though, is that they are only 70 calories a piece. So, naturally, I had to give them a shot.
With the first day of school quickly approaching, this snack/dessert is perfect for your kids to enjoy for something sweet in their lunchbox or for a healthy after school snack. Here's how you can make these chocolate-peanut butter haystacks with Fiber One Original cereal, but with a slight twist.
This is one of the simplest recipes, so don't worry about heating up the oven and simultaneously heating up the kitchen; it's too dang hot outside. First, line a cookie sheet that will fit inside your refrigerator with parchment paper or wax paper.
Next, prepare the glue that will bind the cereal together to form the haystacks. The original recipe calls for milk chocolate chips and peanut butter, but surprisingly, I had neither of those on hand, but I did have chocolate PB2 and white chocolate chips.
I figured that the chocolate flavor from the PB2 would balance well with the white chocolate chips, plus by using the PB2 instead of real peanut butter I could shave off a few calories and grams of fat, making each haystack a lot healthier.
Mix together half a cup of chocolate PB2 powder with a quarter cup of water to create a smooth consistency. Place the chocolate PB2 into a large microwave-safe bowl, along with two cups of white chocolate chips.
Melt the white chocolate with the chocolate PB2 in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds, then stir the mixture to melt the white chocolate chips some more. Be careful not to burn the chocolate PB2; if it appears to be burning, add a splash of water to the bowl and stir.
Once the white chocolate and chocolate PB2 are blended together, add one pouch of Fiber One Original cereal and stir until the cereal is glued together by the white chocolate and chocolate PB2 mixture.
Use a spoon to scoop out haystacks, then place each treat on the lined cookie sheet. Because I used the PB2 instead of regular peanut butter, I could make the haystacks a little bigger than the suggested size from the recipe. Place the sheet in the refrigerator for the haystacks to harden, then they're ready to be eaten.
The chocolate and peanut butter flavors from the PB2 balance perfectly with the white chocolate chips and subtle sweetness from the Fiber One Original cereal. The haystacks are sticky, sweet and are quite healthy. Trust me, your kids will think these are delicious treats, rather than a healthier version of a cookie.