Taste Test Tuesday: Holiday Rice Krispies Treats - with Fiber!

If you have to whip up a holiday treat to bring to a party or cooking exchange and you don't want to spend too much time on it...here's an option! Every now and then Rice Krispies Treats just hit the spot. I always make them with less margarine, and I use a less fat margarine. This time I cranked up the fiber by using a couple cups of a high fiber cereal and I added some color and nutrients by stirring in some dried cranberries or cherries!

If you want to make your Krispies a bit more fancy, you can drizzle some melted white chocolate over the top (before cutting into squares) or stir the white chocolate chips in along with the dried fruit.

Holiday Rice Krispies Treats
Makes 36 small squares (16 large ones)

2 tablespoons less fat margarine (with 8 grams fat per
tablespoon)
4 cups miniature marshmallows
4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups Kashi Go Lean (10 grams fiber per cup)
3/4 cup dried cranberries (dried cherries can also be used)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips + 1 teaspoon canola oil (optional)

1. Line a 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish with foil and coat the foil with canola cooking spray.


2. Melt margarine in a large, nonstick saucepan (coated with canola cooking spray) over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.


3. Stir in the Rice Krispies, Kashi cereal, and dried cranberries. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and press down the top gently using a square of foil coated with canola cooking spray.


4. Melt white chocolate very gently in your microwave using defrost or very low setting (in 1 cup glass measure) or over very low heat in a small, nonstick saucepan. Stir in canola oil and drizzle over the top of the treats. When cool, cut into 4 columns each way (to make 16 large squares) or 6 columns each way (to make 36 squares).

Per large serving (without white chocolate) if 16 squares per recipe: 113 calories, 1 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 1.2 g fat, .2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 79 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 8 percent.

White chocolate chips will add (per large serving): 28 calories, 3 g carbohydrate, 1.6 g fat, and .9 g saturated fat.

Related Topics:

• Make Over Your Favorite Holiday Treat
• 25 Healthy Holiday Choices

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