Healthy Food Recipes - Oatmeal Peanut Butter Treats

Ingredients
½ cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup quick oats
Dried fruits of your choice
¼ cup chopped nuts

In a microwave safe bowl, combine peanut butter, honey and milk. Heat until almost runny, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in oats, dried fruits and nuts. Spoon onto waxed paper and let cool. For firmer treats, they may be stored in the refrigerator or freezer but they do fine in an airtight container at room temperature as well.

Raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries or dried berries work best, because of their size and shape. If you prefer other fruits such as dried apples, dried apricots, start by dicing them into "raisin-sized" chunks. Dried or "dehydrated" fruits are soft and pliable in the mixture whereas "chips," such as apple chips or banana chips may be crushed and added for a crunchy texture similar to or in place of nuts. Or you may choose to omit fruits altogether.

Chunky peanut butter adds texture to the mixture in addition to chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds. Or leave the nuts out if that's your preference. More nutrition can be found in organic honey or organic peanut butter, however organic peanut butter tends to be more oily than non-organic and may require more oats or a teaspoon of flour to bind the mixture together. Also look for fruits with "no added sugar" or "all natural" printed on the package to avoid unnecessary sugars or preservatives.

The end result is a high-protein, cookie-like snack that will be enjoyed equally by children or adults, great for the late afternoon drearies.