My kids love pistachios – which is great because, like many kids, they aren’t big fans of more typical protein sources! Pistachios are a wonderfully healthy way to increase protein, vitamins, and minerals, and are a good source of monounsaturated fats. Their delicate green color is a great match for Matcha, which gives the bites a lovely green hue and delicious umami flavors. This ‘base’ recipe can be altered to suit your mood or tastes. Puffed quinoa would increase the protein a bit, or you can use puffed millet or rice cereal (all three are gluten-free choices.) Try switching out the dried fruit – dried cranberries would make a festive holiday treat! Honey makes a stickier, slightly sweeter version, so I prefer using brown rice syrup for a crisper and just a bit less sweet taste. Finally, these bites are great for a portable snack, but they are just as delicious if you crumble them into small pieces – delicious and nutritious granola to eat out of hand, sprinkled over yogurt, or with milk.
Matcha Pistachio Cereal Bites Recipe
Ingredients:
1½ cups Pistachio Nuts, shelled and roasted
1½ cups Puffed Grain Cereal
½ cup Golden Raisins
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1½ tsp Matcha Powder
Pinch Salt
2 tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
⅓ cup Brown Rice Syrup or Honey, heated slightly
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper, or carefully oil the pan.
- Chop pistachios into small pieces by hand, or pulse them a few times in a food processor.
- Combine all of the ingredients except coconut oil and honey/brown rice syrup in a large bowl, and stir a few times.
- Then pour the melted coconut oil over the dry ingredients, and finally, add the honey or brown rice syrup and continue to stir until the cereal is completely coated.
- Press the mixture into a prepared pan, and bake for 20 minutes – look for the edges to brown slightly, and the center of the mixture to harden.
- Let cool completely, then cut into 1 ½” by 1 ½” squares (or crumble into granola)!
Matcha Pistachio Cereal Bites
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Pistachio Nuts, shelled and roasted
- 1½ cups Puffed Grain Cereal
- ½ cup Golden Raisins
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1½ tsp Matcha Powder
- Pinch Salt
- 2 tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
- ⅓ cup Brown Rice Syrup or Honey, heated slightly
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper, or carefully oil the pan.
- Chop pistachios into small pieces by hand, or pulse a few times in a food processor.
- Combine all of the ingredients except coconut oil and honey/brown rice syrup in a large bowl, and stir a few times.
- Then pour the melted coconut oil over the dry ingredients, and finally, add the honey or brown rice syrup and continue to stir until the cereal is completely coated.
- Press the mixture into a prepared pan, and bake for 20 minutes – look for the edges to brown slightly, and the center of the mixture to harden.
- Let cool completely, then cut into 1 ½” by 1 ½” squares (or crumble into granola)!
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Meet the Author: Sarah