Peanut Butter Granola Balls

We all struggle with finding nutritious and delicious little snacks. Most prepackaged snacks (such as granola bars) usually aren't MSPI-friendly. So we're left having to make our snacks. But we want them to be easy to make! No baking -- even better!

Here's a recipe I slightly adapted from Everyday Food that fits the bill. It makes a great snack for any time of day -- morning, noon or night. You can easily substitute sunflower butter for the peanut butter, if peanuts are an issue in your home.

Peanut Butter Granola Balls

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup MSPI-friendly peanut butter

2 tbsp. MSPI-friendly margarine 

1 cup crisp rice cereal

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup dried fruit (I used a mixture of cranberries, blueberries and cherries.)

In a small saucepan over medium, heat honey, peanut butter and margarine. Stir until loosened and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cereal, oats and dried fruit.

Drop mixture by the tablespoon into mini paper cupcake or candy liners. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Tip: The mixture is pretty sticky to work with, but I found success using a small ice cream scoop to form the balls. Or you can just try pressing the mixture into a mini muffin pan that's been coated with cooking spray. (Coating your hands with cooking spray will make this option easier!) Whatever you do, don't skip the refrigeration! That's what keeps everything sticking together.