Upgrade your Crispie Slice

I'm taking advantage of being stuffed up with a cold to catch up on some overdue blog posts - so onto the second for this evening - which should magically appear later this week, if the gods of scheduled posting are kind!

This Crispie Slice is delicious - and the additions and substitutions make it a step up for the usual marshmallow/toffee variety in both the health and flavour stakes. (It's also dairy and gluten free and vegan - but don't let that put you off - it's mainly delicious. I took it into work and everyone, both with and without food allergies, happily polished off several pieces).

Fruit and Nut Crispie Slice (makes one 8x13inch tin)

• 1.5 cups brown rice puffed cereal
• 1/2 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup dried banana chips
• 50g raisins
• 1/2 cup nut butter (I used 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter and 1/4 cup raw brazil and cocoa nut butter)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 3 tbsp coconut oil

Grease and line an 8x13 inch tin with parchment.
Put the cereal, coconut, banana and raisins in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. (You could use other cereal / fruit / nut combinations to suit your preferences, or what you have available to hand).
In a small saucepan, melt the syrup, coconut oil and nut butter, then stir in the cocoa powder. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly and allow to simmer for a minute, then pour over the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well coated.
Tip into the prepared tin and press it into the corners and flatten, and allow to cool for 20-30 mins then stick in the freezer for around an hour to allow it to harden enough to cut neatly.
Keep in the fridge.
Try to exercise willpower and not eat it all at once!

The great benefit of this recipe above the marshmallow/toffee one is that it doesn't start to set in the bowl as it cools, resulting in the inevitable strings of marshmallow all over the kitchen worktops, and the frantic stir/pour/flatten moment. You can be quite relaxed about it all :o)