We’re in the beginning of Health Month (affectionately known as HELLth Month!) around our house where Price and I and my brother Jordan and sis-in-law Katie keep each other accountable for a month on eating healthy and losing weight! We do weigh ins on Friday, so tomorrow we’ll see how everyone is doing compared to the previous week! SCARY!
Anyway, one thing I’ve tried to do is come up with a few recipes that incorporate a lot of healthy ingredients but make me feel like I’m cheating! That’s how this version of puppy chow was born!
We all know and love the chocolate chips, peanut butter, real butter, powdered sugar, and crispix version of this lovely dessert…
Allow me to introduce my cleaned up version! Replace regular chocolate chips with dark chocolate chips. Instead of peanut butter, I’m using almond butter. Nix butter and use a little coconut oil. Replace powdered sugar with fat free, sugar free Instant pudding mix, oatmeal, and unsweetend coconut flakes. Instead of crispix, I’m using raw almonds and healthy cereal! (Kashi’s Go Lean to be precise!)
It’s a tad more complicated than regular puppy chow, but minus the pudding mix, is 100% healthy and all natural! And it packs a ton more nutrition than original puppy chow! I’m really into it, so I’d love to know what you think!
Here’s how to make it!
>> WHAT YOU’LL NEED <<
1/3 cup miniature semi sweet chocolate chips
2 heaping tablespoons almond butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup raw almonds
1 1/3 cup cereal
1/3 cup instant oatmeal
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 oz. package of fat free, sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt (optional)
>> WHAT YOU’LL DO <<
Put the chocolate, almond butter, and coconut oil into a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave for about a minute and a half, stirring every thirty seconds, or until well combined!
Add the raw almonds and cereal to the bowl and stir until well coated.
Add the remaining ingredients, plus the coated mixture from the bowl, to a freezer size ziploc bag, seal the bag, and shake thoroughly until well coated with the dry ingredients. The salt is totally optional! I’ve made it with and without, and I sort of like that salty contrast, but it’s great without it too!
This recipe yields about 2 1/2 cups of mixture.
Enjoy!
Note: This is not necessarily a low calorie snack, but it is nutrition-dense, so don’t go eating the entire bowl in one sitting or anything!
Hope you like it! 🙂 Have a great day!!
