Healthy Krispies

Who doesn't love a rice krispie treat!? Especially around Halloween when all unhealthy eating feels (falsely) justified. Only problem is that these sweet little squares are loaded with far more junk than just sugar and butter. Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, gelatin (which, by the way, comes primarily from boiled pigskins), and artificial coloring are common ingredients in these tasty treats. 

So naturally, I did some experimenting in my kitchen to create the ultimate formula for a healthified rice krispie treat. Low and behold, here is what I came up with. This recipe uses peanut butter - though feel free to substitute with almond butter or your favorite nut butter - and is completely marshmallow-less. That's right, this recipe is pigskin free! And I promise, it still tastes like dessert. Check it out and let me know what you think :) 

Ingredients (serves ~10-12):

• 6 cups rice krispie cereal (or whole grain cereal of choice)
• 1 cup maple syrup (or brown rice syrup) 
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (make sure it's not refrigerated as you want it to be oily and easy to mix)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• optional for topping: 

1. 3 cups of raspberries (frozen or fresh)
2. Dark chocolate for a drizzle 

Directions: 

1. Line a circular pan (or 8x8 in baking dish) with cooking spray or parchment paper and set aside.
2. Turn stove to medium-low heat, and using medium saucepan combine peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Use a spoon to mix ingredients, so that they become a uniform, cremay mixture and melt together. 
3. Turn off the heat and add in the rice krispies. Mix together until cereal is fully coated in mixture. 
4. Transfer mixture from saucepan to cooking tin and pack krispies firmly together. Set aside to cool for ~30 mins. 

Topping:

1. Turn stove to medium heat and place raspberries in pot (no need to add water or oil). Simply allow raspberries to cook for about 6-8  minutes, until they appear to have a thicker, spreadable consistency. Note: if you're using frozen raspberries, the cook time may be closer to 10 minutes. 
2. Once cooked, transfer contents to smaller bowl and allow to cool. You may place in refrigerator to expedite cooling process. 

Finishing Touches:

1. Once krispie has cooled, turn tin upside down with serving plate underneath, so that the entire krispy falls onto the plate. 
2. Using a spoon (regular tablespoon is fine) spread raspberry topping over treat, as if it were a cake. It is easiest to start from the center and spread outward in a circular motion, using the back of the spoon. 
3. Depending on whether you use a circular or rectangular tin, feel free to cut into cake-like triangles or squares. 
4. Enjoy! 

Mango-Kefir Lassi

Have any of you ever tried a traditional Indian Mango Lassi? Have any of you proceeded to fall in LOVE with this drink, before learning it's loaded with sugar, fat, and calories? (guilty). I decided to put the Tovita touch on this smoothie because I felt it had so much potential to be a healthy dessert (or breakfast, or snack, or whatever you want to call it) and honestly, I love mangoes. It's that simple. 

Some ingredients worth mentioning: I added tofu as a source of protein. Rather than adding protein powders, tofu is a good source of protein (7 - 9 grams per serving) and easily absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients. Plus its natural pudding-like consistency makes it a perfect addition to the recipe. Next, I added kefir because it's a great source of probiotics. Remember, probiotics are those organisms that provide a host of benefits to our guts. 

Ingredients (serves1):

• 1 cup cubed, frozen mango 
• 1/3 cup plain, unsweetened kefir 
• 1/3 inch slice of silky, organic tofu 
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup of vanilla almond milk (or other milk substitute) 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dash of turmeric

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together until evenly distributed. Note: may add more liquid base per consistency preference. (more liquid = thinner consistency; less liquid = thicker consistency) 

Pop off July Fourth with these Coco-Cherry Popsicles

Popsicles take us back to our childhoods, when we had red juice dripping down our chins and blue tongues for days. We like the idea of a refreshing snack for Fourth of July, so we’ve added the Tovita touch to our grade school favorite by replacing the high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors with fresh ingredients. These coco-cherry popsicles are made simply from fresh (or frozen) fruit, Greek yogurt, and a touch of coconut flakes. These guys are a great go-to snack because they combine fiber, protein, and healthy fat - the perfect recipe to hold you over ‘till your evening BBQ.

Ingredients (serves 4):

~10-12 pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)

5 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt

¼ cup vanilla almond milk

4 teaspoons coconut flakes

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Directions:

1. Add cherries to blender and puree with a touch of water for about 5 seconds.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut flakes into each individual popsicle mold (found at most grocery stores). Then evenly distribute the pureed cherries to each popsicle mold.
3. Separately, blend Greek yogurt, almond milk, and optional honey for about 3 seconds.
4. Evenly distribute yogurt mixture into the Popsicle molds.
5. Allow popsicles to freeze for at least 5 hours. When ready to enjoy, run under cool water for about 30 seconds, or until the popsicle is easily removed from mold.