Sweet honey keeps all the ingredients stuck together. These are great to keep on hand for when you get a ‘sweets attack’. So healthy, so full of MUFAs, yet honey sweet and just a bit chocolaty.

Healthy Snack Bars

16 servings
109 calories per serving

2 1/2 c unsweetened puffed wheat cereal
1/2 c pecan halves, chopped medium fine
1/3 c salted roasted shelled pumpkin seeds / pepitas (just roast in oven 5-10 minutes)
1/4 c dried cranberries (craisins), coarsely chopped
3 T sesame seeds
1/2 c honey
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/8 t salt
1/2 cup mini semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (chop regular size ones)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line an 8×8 square baking dish with parchment paper letting it overhang so you have ‘handles’ to pull up the bars when done. Mix cereal, nuts, seeds and cranberries. In a saucepan heat honey, vanilla and salt 2-3 minutes. The pour this over the dry ingredients and mix well then add chocolate and press it all into the prepared pan and spread it out. You can spray a wooden spoon with Pam to help. Bake 30-35 minutes or until top is brown. Use a knife to loosen the bars from the unlined sides of the pan and lift the whole thing out and set on a rack to cool a bit. Cut into 16 bars.

Fudgy layers of chocolate heaven !! First you have a chocolate chip cookie crust – then you add chocolate covered rice chex and peanuts. And as if that were not enough – you add a layer of caramel chocolate fudge to the top. OH SO GOOD !

Chocolate Caramel Bars

36 servings
190 calories per serving

1 roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookies (18 oz.)
11 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
18 oz. caramel apple dip
3 c Rice Chex cereal
1 c chopped peanuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Break up cookie dough and press it into the bottom of an ungreased 13×9 baking dish. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown then cool 15 minutes. In a saucepan heat 1 c chocolate chops and 1 c caramel sauce. On medium heat stir and cook until smooth then remove from heat and stir in cereal and peanuts. Spread the cereal mix over the crust. In the saucepan heat the rest of the chips and caramel and cook until melted. Spread over the cereal mix then refrigerate ½ hour or so then cut into bars.

No matter what brownie recipe I try, I always go back to this one – it is a great recipe that serves up a cakey yet fudgy brownie that does not skimp on the chocolate flavor. The other great thing about this recipe is that is it ONE POT for prep – that’s it. And the baking pan stays clean because you line it with foil.

My Chocolate Fudge Brownies

24 servings
211 calories per serving

1 c walnuts, chopped
2 sticks of butter
2 c semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 c sugar
4 large eggs
1 t vanilla
1 ¼ c flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil extended over the long side edges so you can grab the foil and pick up the whole brownie after it cools. Melt the butter in a pan on the stove and add chocolate and stir until all melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Then add in eggs one at a time (just stirring with a wooden spoon). Stir in vanilla and then stir in flour in 4 batches. Pour into foil lined pan and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake 20-25 minutes. Do not overcook.