Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

I wanted to share with you a recipe I created that was inspired by my favorite post-workout treat from a local coffee shop in Berkeley, California. Peanut Butter Crispy Bars are the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and fill me up after a long run or swim practice. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. They won’t last long…because they are sooo good!

2½ cups of rice cereal (you know, the kind that snap, crackle, pop)

3/4 cup of dried cranberries (or dried fruit of your choice!)

½ cup of rolled oats

1 cup creamy peanut butter (crunchy works as well!)

½ cup brown rice syrup

½ cup agave nectar

1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, combine the rice cereal, dried cranberries, and oats. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the peanut butter, rice syrup, agave nectar, and vanilla, until melted. Pour over dry ingredients and mix with wooden spoon until combined. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square pan. Using clean hands, press down the mixture. Let “nap” for 1 hour in the fridge before slicing (if you can wait that long!) Enjoy as a snack or healthy dessert!

Makes about 16.

GF and Vegan.

Come visit me over at Pushups with Polish!

-By Guest Blogger Emily Bibb

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember this is only an opinion. When making any changes to your diet you are doing so at your own risk and should have prior approval from your physician! 

Healthy On the Go

Being an athlete can be a full time job and if you’re also a parent, a student, have a second job or all of the above, always remembering to pack a healthy snack can be difficult so try to buy foods that are easy to grab on the go. Any snack that takes time to prepare is a luxury not usually afforded to those with an active lifestyle.

A FEW QUICK SNACKS…

• Two Moms in the Raw Blueberry Nut Bar: you might have read about this one on a previous blog of mine. Clearly I am obsessed!

• A Honeycrisp apple with Justin's Almond Butter (comes in packets for on-the-go)

• Trader Joes' bagged dried fruit (I prefer peaches and apricots)

• A banana or two (can also pair with Justin's Almond Butter)

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip LÄRABAR

• OSTRIM Beef & Ostrich Sports Nutrition Meat Sticks (my best friend got me hooked on these...sounds interesting but they are SO good and 14g Protein!)

• Bagged mini carrots, celery and peppers sliced up (I usually prepare these the night before, throw them in a Ziploc in the fridge to take next morning)

• An avocado (sounds strange, but eating an avocado is so satisfying, not to mention has the healthy oils and fats we need)

• Greens + Chocolate Coated Peanut Butter Protein Bar (you can find these at a health food store---has ALL the greens plus the tasty chocolate coating!)

A FEW QUICK FACTS…

• Being an athlete requires expending a lot of energy on workout days. 

• FUEL = ENERGY

• The most crucial times to snack/eat and quickly fuel the body are before a workout, during a workout (depending on your sport), immediately following a workout and every few hours during the day.

• Most athletes do not snack enough and if they do, not healthily enough.

• Snacking habits are easy to change.

-By guest blogger Caroline Stilwell Burckle

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember this is only an opinion. When making any changes to your diet you are doing so at your own risk and should have prior approval from your physician!