Rice Treats!

Fruity Rice Pudding
Feel free to mix up the dried fruit in this recipe. You can also add more!

¾ c uncooked rice
2c milk
1 1/2c water
¼ white sugar
2T brown sugar
1 egg
2T butter
1t vanilla extract
2/3c dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, apples…)
Dash of salt

Boil water and add rice. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20min.
Combine rice, 1 1/2c milk, sugar, and salt in a pan. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 min until mixture starts to thicken. Make sure it does not burn.
Stir in remaining milk, beaten egg and dried fruit. Cook for a few more min, stirring constantly, until everything is warmed through.
Remove from heat
Serve or pop into 350 degree oven for a few min until the top gets crunch

For a tropical twist use dried papaya, mango, coconut flakes, or other dried tropical fruit. Don’t use banana chips though. They are too crunchy for this dish.

For a chocolate treat add in some chocolate chips instead of fruit after cooking. You can also add in 2T of cocoa powder.

For a maple treat replace sugar with 1/4c of maple syrup and use dried apples.

For a citrus pudding add in 2T or orange zest, and replace ½ c water with ½ c of citrus juice.


Brown rice crispy treats!

These are better for you than the traditional rice crispy treat. Although still a treat, it is a yummy snack for kids. This recipe is based on one by Alton Brown

6 c of puffed brown rice. You can find this in the organic section of your grocery store or at a Whole Foods type store
3T flax seed oil
4 c mini marshmallows
3/4c unsalted sunflower seeds (optional) in the Alton brown recipe he uses slivered almonds. The children I watch though they were too big and brought too much of a “health flavor” to this treat. The sunflower seeds blend in better and have less taste.
1/2c dried berries (cranberries, cherries, blueberries)

Heat oven to 425 F
Coat large glass baking dish with oil (when I used flax seed oil as in the Alton Brown recipe it added a lot of flavor that the children I watch do not enjoy).
Toast rice cereal in oven for 4min, make sure it does not burn
Heat oil, honey and marshmallows in microwave, 30sec at a time on medium heat. Stir after each 30sec interval and continue to cook until marshmallows are melted.
Mix mixture into rice, seeds and fruit.
Spread mixture in pan and cool.